Re: [TCML] RF Ground and Brass

[bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Scott,

Scott wrote:
> Simple Enough right?
Yes, simple enough. That is how do it.
> Now the RF ground itself will be right next to the coil: outside, 4 steel
> spikes hammered 3 feet into the Earth.
>
> Now here's my question:
> I have this ribbon coming off the secondary coil and 10 AWG wire coming from
> the NST case and strike rail, how do I actually connect them all together to
> the physical RF spikes?  I was just gonna solder the ribbon to the spikes,
> and then thread the other wires through a hole in them.
It might be easier to drill and tap a hole in through the side of the 
spikes and use heavy duty ring terminals (from spike to spike). For the 
connections to RF ground, you might run a ribbon strip or wire up to a 
simple terminal block on the coil base somewhere (preferably near the 
bottom of the coil).
> And a second question:
> For the metal grounding ribbon coming off the secondary, does it need to
> copper for sure?  I wanted to use brass instead.  At my hardware store,
> brass is 1/4 the cost of copper and available in more thickness's.  And does
> the ribbon need to go all the way from the secondary base to ground
> spike?  It would be 3 feet of ribbon that way even is the coil is right next
> to the RF ground!
Brass is fine if your set on using ribbon (other alloys are fine also). 
I don't use ribbon. Just a decently sized high stranded cable (6 awg).
> Also, the grounding on the Terry Filter seemed a little weird too, maybe
> someone could confirm could I'm doing it right as described.
>   
Nothing weird when the NST is also tied to RF ground. The Terry filter 
is tied to the NST ground system and we want the Terry filter ground at 
RF ground. So it makes sense to tie the NST also to RF ground. Those who 
use a Terry filter and connect as described in the schematic and who 
also tied their NST to mains ground would inadvertently tie RF ground to 
mains ground and put RF transients directly to every component plugged 
into the house wiring. We should attempt "not" to do such things. 
Connecting the NST and Terry filter as you have described will prevent 
this "direct" connection.

I wonder, was the text showing NST ground and RF ground being tied to 
the same point electrically what you thought was weird?  I can see how 
that might throw someone. The Terry filter includes the safety gaps. 
When they fire, they do throw hv transients. So it's good they also run 
directly to RF ground. Of course, that's an opinion and your right, this 
topic has had a lot of discussion.

Take care,
Bart

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