RE: [TCML] MOTS Tuning, Capacitors, and Spark Gaps

["Jim Mora" <wavetuner@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Joel,
Wow 80 of them! A lot of us could use some more level shifters! Take heart!
Maybe you can sell them and buy CDC's for a nice performing MMC!
Jim Mora

Much easier to get to 9nf by setting in series one row of .15uf caps: try
16! CDC also makes a .1uf 2kvk caps... 11 should work to get just under 9
nf.
Jim Mora,
PS I did not run these on Java MCC for sizing to coil parameters.

-----Original Message-----
From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Lau, Gary
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 6:19 PM
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: RE: [TCML] Tuning, Capacitors, and Spark Gaps

Additionally, 80(!) of pretty much any kind of cap in series is going to
have a very high equivalent series resistance (ESR), since resistance is
additive.  Resistance in the primary circuit is a performance killer.  If
cost is a concern, a beer bottle/salt water cap will do much better.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of David Speck
> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2009 8:00 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Tuning, Capacitors, and Spark Gaps
> 
> Joel,
> 
> Well, for starters, microwave oven caps do not have the proper
> characteristics for a TC tank circuit.  They are designed for use at 60
> Hz, but are unacceptably lossy at TC tank frequencies.  The relatively
> low value internal bleeder resistors will also rob you of power,
> especially working with only  a 9 kV NST.
> 
> The rest of the description sounds promising.  Check the TCML archives
> about MMC capacitors.  Those have had an excellent success rate.  Not
> exactly cheap, but the will work.  MWO caps will not.
> 
> Dave
> 
> Joel Torgeson wrote:
> > Alright,
> >
> >      I've now built my tesla coil, and am very disappointed that it
fails to work. My
> transformer is a 9,000v 30ma NST. I have tailor-built my capacitor out of
capacitors
> from microwave ovens. They are internally resisted, and with 80 of them in
series i
> hit my target capacitance of .0088 uf. My primary consists of 1/4 inch
copper tubing
> spaced 1/4 inch between each winding. there are 15 turns of tubing in a
flat
> pancake configuration. My secondary consists of approximately 760 feet of
24
> AWG magnet wire wrapped around 3.26 inch outside diameter PVC pipe. The
> topload is of the tubing and pie-pan variety, using 3 inch aluminum
tubing/ducting.
> This makes a ~ 15 inch toroid on the top. i am using a 8 ft grounding rod
that isn't
> attached to anything important. There is no metal inside the secondary, so
that isn't
> a problem. My biggest concern is the spark gap. It's a static gap, not
split up into
> multiple gaps, just one big one. it is 5.6mm wide, and has a
> >  hair drier running on cool temp, high velocity blowing on it for
quenching.
> 
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