Re: Non-copper components, was Re: Forwarded mail.... (steel components) (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:42:55 +0100
From: Tom Trevethan <t.trevethan@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Non-copper components,
     was Re: Forwarded mail.... (steel components) (fwd)

Sorry, the capacitor leads are not steel. I assumed they were not 
copper because
of the color (I should have checked my facts!). But as mentioned, it does look
strange when you have heavy and expensive copper wire connecting to the 
MMC and
then these really thin leads going to the individual capacitors.

As for connectors in the tank circuit, I cut short sections (~2 in) of copper
pipe (3/8 diameter) and hammered one end flat and drilled a hole in it. Then I
inserted the tank wire into the other end an hammered it flat to secure 
it (and
make a good connection). These connectors are then bolted onto the spark gap
electrodes and MMC.

On the subject of steel, last summer when I made my first coil, I originally
made the primary (helical) out of steel wire. This was very, very poor. Spark
output was about 2-3 in. When I replaced it with a flat copper pipe spiral,
spark output increased to 16 - 18 in (it was powered by a 10/40 nst).

Cheers,

Tom


Quoting Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>:

>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:07:46 -0500
> From: Drake Schutt <drake89@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Non-copper components,
>     was Re: Forwarded mail.... (steel components) (fwd)
>
> I think what he was saying is that why go to the expense of using heavy
> gauge (expensive) copper wire in the tank circuit when the MMC leads are
> only say 16 awg (ish)?  I'm also thinking about that now that I am starting
> to near completion on my own coil (12kv/60ma).  Mostly I was wondering about
> connections though.  Could you guys throw out some good ways to connect the
> tank cap, spark gap, etc?
>
> thanks
> drake
>
> On 6/15/07, Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:29:33 +0800
>> From: Peter Terren <pterren@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: Forwarded mail.... (steel components)
>>
>> I still have a burn mark on my arm from touching a hot steel bolts used as
>> a
>> terminal on a rolled capacitor. (Thermal burn not electrical). I changed
>> them to brass and no heating now.  Also a metal crocodile clip used to tap
>> the primary got hot enough to melt solder. A brass connector has fixed
>> that.
>> Hysteresis losses in iron at RF will waste energy so best avoided.
>> MMC wires are steel? Mine are tinned copper and definitely not magnetic?
>> Peter  http://tesladownunder.com
>>
>> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> > Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:46:55 +0100
>> > From: Tom Trevethan <t.trevethan@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> >
>> > Hi all,
>> >
>> > I've been 'lurking' on the list for a while now - soaking up lots of
>> > useful
>> > information. Now I have a question to ask: how critical to performance
>> are
>> > the
>> > materials that make the tank circuit? I've read that steel is best
>> avoided
>> > (due
>> > to it being ferromagnetic) - but it is dificult and expensive to
>> construct
>> > the
>> > circuit entirely out of copper and tungsten. In my coil I use thick
>> copper
>> > cable (8 awg) with copper pipe lugs and I've tried to use brass bolts
>> > where
>> > possible (but I use steel nuts and bolts in some places). My primary tap
>> > is
>> > made of steel and I also recently found out that the 'brass' bolts I am
>> > using
>> > for stationary electrodes in my rotaty gap are actually brass plated
>> > steel. Am
>> > I likely to see significant improvements in performance if I go to the
>> > effort
>> > of replacing these parts? After all, it seems overkill when the wires
>> > leaving
>> > the capacitors of my (and everybody elses) MMC are made of (thin) steel.
>> >
>> > Thanks in adavance for any advice.
>> >
>> > Tom
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>



-- 
Dr Thomas Trevethan
London Centre for Nanotechnology
and Department of Physics and Astronomy
University College London
e-mail: t.trevethan@xxxxxxxxx
Tel: 07952934327