Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx> Original poster: "Gary Peterson" <g.peterson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx> Anyone who has ever scoped the secondary activity on a disruptive coil can see that all activity is over long, long, long before the start of the next bang. With the inherent losses in any secondary system, this just is the way it is. Gary Lau
"In the practical carrying out of any of the plans described it is essential to the attainment of good results that all the apparatus be constructed and operated under careful observance of the rules which have been fully set forth in the application referred to at the beginning. Unless they are closely adhered to the insertion of a composite tuned system in a resonating circuit, instead of accomplishing the object sought, may prove detrimental. The requirements indispensable to successful use of the invention are: first, very small distributed capacity in the coils; second, extremely low ohmic resistance of all conductors including the connections and coatings of condensers; third, insignificant electro-magnetic radiation; fourth, minimum loss in the capacities through dielectric hysteresis and leakage and, fifth, a number of units such as will insure the best performance in any given case. It is to be added, however, that each of the individual condensers should be of a capacity equal to that of the antenna, though this relation may be departed from, more or less, without serious drawback." -- Nikola Tesla, ca. 1916"
Quote from Tesla patent 512,430 Jan. 9, 1894:Partial quote, lines 39 through 50 - "I have found that in every coil there exists a certain relation between its self-induction and capacity that permits a current of given frequency and potential to pass through it with no other opposition than thoat of ohmic resistance, or, in other words, as though it possessed no self-induction.. This is due to the mutual relations existing between the special character of the current and the self-induction and capacity of the coil, the latter quantity being just capable of neutralizing the self-induction for that frequency."
Partial quote, lines 67 through 78 - "In order to attain my objective and to properly INCREASE the capacity of any given coil, I wind it in such was as to secure a greater difference of potential between its adjacent turns or convolutions, and since the energy stored in the coil -- considering the latter as a condenser, is proportionate to the square of the potential difference between its adjacent convolutions, it is evident that I may in this way secure by a proper disposition of these convolutionsa greatly increased capacity for a given increase in potential between the turns."
Partial quote, lines 32 through 38 - "I would here state that by the term coils I desire to include generally helices, solenoids, or in fact, any conductor the different parts of which by the requirements of its application or use are brought into such relations with each other as to materially increase the self-induction".
The patent drawing shows a bifilar spiral coil but I can't find any further statement about it or of any special properties attributed to it. Bottom line is that in 1894 Tesla apparently thought self-capacitance was enough of a virtue to patent it. By 1916 he had obviously learned otherwise.
Ed