RE: [TCML] Safely Grounding a Tesla Coil

["Richard Schmuke" <rdj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lets try this Brandon , if you have a antenna, the standard is a dipole ,
1/4 wl out the center of the coax and 1/4 wl out the shield side. You can
set this on the ground and have a rod going up from the center 1/4 wl, now
from the shield side spread out several wires 1/4 wl length to act as the
other half of the antenna. This is sometimes called a counterpoise. It gets
more involved but did this help? If not I can sent you some simple drawings
I use for my radio classes.

Rich , KDØZZ
Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling or facts are transmission errors.




-----Original Message-----
From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Brandon Hendershot
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 11:11 AM
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: Re: [TCML] Safely Grounding a Tesla Coil

Hi Jim,

Could you explain the concept of "counterpoise" for me or provide a  
link to some documentation? I've never heard of anything like it...

Thanks btw,
Brandon

On Feb 5, 2010, at 9:39 PM, jimlux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Brandon Hendershot wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> I know that it's said that you need an entirely seperate ground rod  
>> when opperating tesla coils because the high voltage grounding  
>> through the house wiring is extremely dangerous to anything plugged  
>> into any other grounded outlet on the same circuit.
>
>
> Not precisely..
> You need a separate RF return for the coil, be it a counterpoise,  
> good grounding system, etc.
> The reason you don't want it interconnected too well with the "house  
> ground" is that it will propagate HV transients into your house  
> wiring system (by capacitive and inductive coupling).. those  
> transients wreak havoc on most consumer electronics.
>
> I wouldn't say "extremely dangerous".. I'd reserve that for  
> something like juggling chain saws.
>
>
>
> But what if you attached the coils
>> ground wire directly to the ground rod. It would be bypassing the  
>> house wiring, so the high voltage won't be running by any precious  
>> electronics inside the house. It shouldn't be running back up into  
>> the house right?
>
> Exactly.. But there is a problem because at some point, you need to  
> bond to the "green wire ground" at least for things that are plugged  
> in or that you might touch (e.g. equipment cases).
>
>> I'm trying to be minimalistic so I don't have to try to pound down  
>> a ground rod of my own.
>
> Think counterpoise.. a big conductive sheet.. chicken wire works  
> well. A circle that has radius = the height of the top load above it.
>
>
> Hook that to the bottom of your secondary.
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