RE: [TCML] Stuck at 36"

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

The file MATH.TXT equates "K" with dielectric strength.  "K" is the dielectric constant - how much more capacitance a cap built with that stuff between the plates will exhibit than with a vacuum.  Nothing to do with strength.

But more importantly, the referenced table gives no indication of the dielectric's dissipation factor - how lossy it will be.  This is the thing that separates a suitable dielectric from unsuitable ones.  

Since no one makes caps, commercial or DIY, using Formica as a dielectric, it's a reasonable inference that it's probably not a suitable dielectric.  It's doubtful that Formica is manufactured with strict attention to absolute purity and consistency, since in a countertop, no one cares about that.

Regards, Gary Lau

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 1:20 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Stuck at 36"
> 
> http://www.pupman.com/howto/MATH.TXT
> Formica
> K=4.6 - 4.9
> 450 V/.001in

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