Re: troubleshooting tesla coil (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 10:36:05 +0100
From: Paul Benham <paulb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: troubleshooting tesla coil (fwd)

Hi Marko,

The capacitor needs to be in series with the primary, and these are in 
parallel with the gap.  I think that is what you meant.

Cheers,

Paul.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 3:55 AM
Subject: Re: troubleshooting tesla coil (fwd)


>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:55:22 -0600 (MDT)
> From: Chip Atkinson <chip@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: troubleshooting tesla coil (fwd)
>
> Here's a thought.  It could be that a multimeter doesn't measure a short
> because the multimeter's voltage is so low that it wouldn't be able to
> jump any gap at all.  At 5500 volts, you can jump some gap so it could be
> shorted out.
>
> One way to debug that is to disconnect one of the leads from the NST to
> the gap.  Put it on a wooden or non-conductive stick so you will be plenty
> insulated from the current.  Then bring this disconnected lead up to the
> point where it connects and see what kind of spark you get.  If it's kind
> of a flaming spark you have a short.  If it's a really loud crackly snappy
> spark then your cap is fine.
>
> Try that and let us know what you see.
>
> Chip
>
> On Thu, 14 Jun 2007, Tesla list wrote:
>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:32:17 -0400
>> From: Marko Ruban <Marko@xxxxxxxx>
>> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: troubleshooting tesla coil
>>
>> Hello all
>>
>> I was looking for some help on tesla coil construction, and joined this
>> list as a result.  Looks like I came to the right place :)
>>
>> I'm building my first tesla coil, and could use some help "debugging"
>> it.  All of the coil parts have been assembled, according to various
>> recipes out on the web, but when put together, the spark gap doesn't 
>> fire.
>>
>> I've got the circuit down to a bare minimum:  5.5KV, 30Khz NST provides
>> the power, spark gap connected across the transformer output leads, and
>> a capacitor in parallel with spark gap.  Without the capacitor, spark
>> gap fires just fine, with it, I just hear humming sound (I think coming
>> from the vibrating capacitor plates), but no spark.
>>
>> Capacitor was home built, consists of 8 copper sheets separated by
> 10mil
>> Mylar insulator, roughly 8"x6" area.  Measured C is 7nF.  When DC power
>> is supplied (through a rectifier circuit), makes the gap fire at
>> intervals, indicating that cap is storing charge.  I thought this could
>> be my problem component, so I built a different type of capacitor (beer
>> bottle salt water, 800pF), but that didn't change a thing.  Neither
>> capacitor is shorted out, according to my multimeter.
>>
>> Is there any definitive way to test the capacitor for faults?  Am I
>> missing something else?  What could be going wrong?
>>
>> Thanks, for any thoughts you can provide on the subject.
>>
>> Marko
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
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