Re: [TCML] Insulating the primary coil

[jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx]

If anyone has been to the franklin institute in philadelphia recently I believe that they use this method to protect their primary.

of course they use their tesla coil to hit a kite... just like franklin...
i thought that that was quite funny.

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

> Place a Plexiglas disc on top of the primary and don't use a ring. I've 
> however only done that on one coil. But even with a Plexiglas disc on 
> top of the primary and overhanging the outer rim, strikes can still find 
> their way to it or the wire attaching to the primary (right through any 
> wire insulation). I don't get any strikes through the Plexiglas. If you 
> have a coil that has enough power to get down to the primary but not 
> quite enough to get to the floor, it's real easy to hit the primary often. 
> 
> BTW Steve, cutting a circle out of Plexiglas is easy. I use an aluminum 
> flat bar (about 1/4" thick by 1"wide and maybe 14" long). I drilled a 
> hole in one end for a shoulder bolt. This end mounts in a hole in the 
> center of the Plexiglas which the bar pivots at. Along the opposite end 
> of the bar I drill a 1/4" hole at the radius of the circle I want, then 
> pounded in a scribe. The scribe is actually a punch for removing bolts 
> when the head was broken off (forgot the name of this, but it has 4 
> sides which end in a point). I put this "scribe" to a bench grinder and 
> sharpened the end to a very sharp point. Anyway, I then simply scribe a 
> channel into the Plexiglas at the radius desired (both sides of the 
> Plexiglas). It then is easy to snap off the excess around the circle. I 
> know they probably have tools for this, but it's easy enough to make 
> your own. Works great. The largest circle I've cut is about 24" and the 
> smallest is about 5". Obviously for a primary disc, cut the outer circle 
> then an inner circle about 1/2" larger diameter than the secondary 
> diameter so you can slide it down the secondary and let it rest on the 
> primary. 
> 
> Take care, 
> Bart 
> 
> Stephen J. Hobley wrote: 
> > What is the current wisdom on insulating the primary coil? 
> > Does this help to reduce strikes on the primary? 
> > 
> > Or is it much better to leave the coil exposed and add a strike rail? 
> > 
> > Thanks, 
> > Steve 
> > 
> > 
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