---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:11:59 -0400 (EDT) From: Victor Valencia <victor_valencia2@xxxxxxxxxx> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: Fried Caps? Hi, I have a pretty basic TC that I built a couple of years ago. It worked great in the beginning but I am having issues with the Tank Cap. Here are the design parameters: NST 12Kv, 30mA Spark Gap: copper tube-based, 9 gaps with @20 mils/gap Tank Capacitor: 77x GE 42L 3kv, (7 strings of 11 caps) (.0066 uF total) Secondary Coil - 3.25" diameter, 801 turns 24 awg wire Top Load: 4.5" diameter aluminum ducting. total dia = 15" The problem I am having is that random capacitors just seem to heat up, melt, and/or catch on fire (lovely show, pic attached) Should I reduce my gap? I thought that a 12kv input with 33kv for each cap string would be enough of a safety factor. Is there some minimum spacing I should keep between the adjacent capacitors and/or the caps in the next string? Victor _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!
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