[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

RE: [TCML] New Ground Question. Surface area

The best clamp is a welding connector. I'm using welding wire that's the same diameter as my ground rod, so I got a connector for that size cable. The female end is simply attached to the top of the ground rod, making for a quick, solid, high amperage connection.

Something like this:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1UYF6

--- On Mon, 2/15/10, sparks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <sparks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: sparks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <sparks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: RE: [TCML] New Ground Question. Surface area
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 6:53 PM
> > If I put one of those cheap
> battery type clamps on the end of
> > the ground wire to clamp onto the ground rod will that
> hinder
> performance? It
> > sounds like you want alot of surface area in a
> grounding cable.
> 
> The surface area of the cable is important is that the
> cable extends for
> a much longer length.  you need the surface area to
> reduce the RF
> resistance.  The contact area of the clamp needs to be
> large enough so
> that it can carry and short circuit currents as well as the
> RF from the
> coil output.  Obviously, the larger the contact area,
> the better, since
> that gives you lower contact resistance and less voltage
> drop across the
> ground clamp connection.
> 
> I would be wary of any sort of ground clamp that can be
> accidentally
> disconnected during operation, perhaps by a startled
> bystander or
> operator jumping out of the way of an unexpected
> streamer.  My
> preference is a clamp that is attached with a solidly
> locking clamp
> screw, or a split ground clamp that encircles the ground
> rod.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Ralph   W5JGV - WD2XSH/7
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Tesla mailing list
> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> 



_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla