Re: [TCML] Tesla Coil Computer Interference

[Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx>]

So, you've never operated the coil WITH a primary coil, only with the dummy
load?

The Terry filter is there only to protect the NST; it doesn't do anything to
keep "stuff" out of the mains.

Correct about the secondary midpoint.

Glad to hear that the PC is OK.  Usually when you hear beep codes coming
from a PC, it means there's some major fault that makes the PC unbootable,
and the sequence of beeps denotes the nature of the fault.

I didn't follow you about an "internal GFI".  PC's don't have a GFI.  Did a
GFI somewhere get tripped?  GFI's often don't get along well with TC's and
usually best to run the TC on a circuit without a GFI.

The coil drawing too much power should just trip a circuit breaker.  So does
your PC start beeping every time you run your coil (with the dummy load),
and it returns to normal by just rebooting?

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Brandon Hendershot <
brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Gary,
>
> It's never done this before... Only when I attached the dummy load. Of
> course, I've never had the primary coil in place either... Shouldn't the
> Terry Filter prevent this kind of stuff?
> And "midpoint ground", does that mean the ground connection on the case is
> wired to the midpoint of the secondary windings, Or am I mistaken?
> And the computer is alive and well. I assume that beeping was a signifier
> of an internal GFI being tripped. Everything else on the circuit is fine...
> Oh! Could it be that adding the coil on the wiring circuit was drawing too
> much power (a lot of power strips in use anyways) caused it? That seems a
> bit illogical though...
> Thanks,
> Brandon
>
> On Jul 24, 2010, at 4:45 PM, Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > I just noticed - you said your NST case is connected to the Variac green
> > wire (mains safety ground).  This is wrong, IMO.  The NST case should be
> > connected only to the RF ground, although there is some controversy here.
> > But this still doesn't explain what zapped your PC.
> >
> > Regards, Gary Lau
> > MA, USA
> >
> > On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 7:36 PM, Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> Oooo - not a good sign!  I would have guessed that using the dummy load
> >> would have been a more benign case than normal operation, since there's
> no
> >> RF oscillations without a primary.  I'm at a loss to suggest a fault
> >> mechanism.  Any possibility the primary circuit or dummy load could have
> >> made contact with the mains?  Is the PC still dead?
> >>
> >> Regards, Gary Lau
> >> MA, USA
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 5:59 PM, Brandon Hendershot <
> >> brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi All,
> >>> Ran my coil the other day to test out that primary coil simulator I
> just
> >>> recently made. It worked great! (Thanks again Gary) But when I shut it
> down
> >>> and pulled my ear muffs off, I noticed my computer was making this loud
> >>> solid "BEEEEEEEEEP" noise and wouldn't respond to keyboard or mouse
> input.
> >>> What concerns me, is that the coil wasn't grounded at all except NST
> case
> >>> to Variac to Green Wire Ground... Could it have interfered just through
> the
> >>> mains power wires? My computer's only the next outlet down in the same
> >>> circuit...
> >>> All input appreciated here,
> >>> Brandon
> >>>
> >>> Note: no safety gaps fired, nor were there any abnormalities...
> (arcing,
> >>> smoke, etc.)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
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