Re: [TCML] Is it really important to dry the PVC pipe?

[gary350@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I usually buy new PVC pipe so it is fairly clean and has been kept inside at Home Depot or Lowe's.  I use Acetone to wipe off the blue ink on the outside.  Not sure the ink would be a problem I just want my coils to be all white with no blue ink writing on the sides.  I never dry my PVC I have read some people dry it in the oven but I never do.  I wind my coil on the lathe then paint it with polyurethane after the poly dries I paint it 1 more time.  Thats about it they all work fine.  I think the oil on my hands from touching the PVC pipe is worse than moisture so I ware gloves and the Acetone is good to wipe away the skin oil.

Gary Weaver





-----Original Message-----
>From: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Sep 27, 2008 2:19 PM
>To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [TCML] Is it really important to dry the PVC pipe?
>
>  This topic has been discussed many times and has always puzzled me. 
>Over the years I've built a number of Van de Graaf generators, large and 
>small, some of which used PVC columns of verious types. I have always 
>washed them with soap and water at the beginning and dried them with a 
>towel and then a hair dryer. After that I've never seen real evidence of 
>the reduced column resistance and output which I'd expect if the things 
>were absorbing much moisture. The only times I've had to "refurbish" the 
>columns has been after extended running which dust accumulated inside 
>and resulted in internal sparking. A repeat of the soap and water plus 
>drying restores them. So, question:
>
>Is a TC more susceptible to the effects of moisture in the coil form 
>than the VDG? Seems hard to believe consdidering the difference in power 
>levels.
>
>Ed
>
>This question is unrelated to the coating of a finished winding to hold 
>the windings in place and provide additional insulation. That's a 
>different matter entirely.
>
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