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RE: [TCML] Reactance vs. matching frequencies
Hi Brian.
It is actually surprisingly simple to get sparks out of a tesla coil,
even a fairly mistuned unit. (assuming, possibly wrongly, that you are
building a spark gap coil)
I have never bothered with such calculations and have never had any
issues getting good streamers as long as my coil was tuned within about
1 spiral from optimum.
I've seen people build these with cardboard tubes, recycled magnet wire
from transformers, pop can toroids, ect, and still get satisfactory
results. Despite all of the complicated physics behind it, they are a
very simple device to build and get operational. If you get too wrapped
around calculations and optimizing it on paper you just tend to impede
your actual progress in bringing it into existence.
My advice would be to invest the time that you're currently using to
second guess things instead be utilized for engineering your coil on
paper until things like wire routing, spark gap placement, finding a
suitable way to attach the secondary to your enclosure, and a way top
attach your toroid to your secondary, and those sorts of obstacles are
all hammered out mentally. Redraw it until you know it inside and out
and it looks perfect. Once you have a solid plan on paper you can really
start making progress in a hurry without slapping things together
half-as*ed. You know what you'll need for the assembly (for the most
part) and you can make 1 run to the hardware store and get most
everything you need. Oh you'll be back for something that you've
overlooked or have improved on...but maybe just once or twice rather
than ten times.
Once you get a good, basic feel for coil building/tuning/safety and the
like then you'll be in a much better position to optimize performance by
digging into the physics and calculations.
Just my two cents.
Good luck with your coil Brian!
Oh...and you might enjoy this...my first real coil in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdVFELxEsVU
Shannon Weinhold
KI Innovations
"Failures are divided into two classes
those who thought and never did,
and those who did and never thought."
John Charles Salak
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Hall [mailto:brianh4242@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 8:40 AM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [TCML] Reactance vs. matching frequencies
ok, I have done my calculations and have it where the frequency of L1C1
matches the frequency of L2C2 (240Khz, within 1 or 2 hz from each other)
but the capacitave reactance of my primary mmc does not match the
inductive reactance of my primary coil ...
is having matching frequencies in the secondary and primary more
important? or is the indictive and capacitive reactance in each LC, the
numbers matching in each instance, more important?
basically, can I have matching frequencies but mismatching reactance,
and have it still make any sparks? i am holding off on full assembly
of it till i know it is likely to work.
Fun fact: if you can't quite make out the markings on an old vaccum
tube. melt up a few white candles to a clear consistency, then with
pliers on the leads, dip the tube into the wax for a few seconds. then
when the wax cools there is just enough material to block the glare and
when i tried it the markings were clear as day. (i used 25 of those
white tea light candles, just the wax from them, from CVS, in a pyrex
bowl in the microwave for 10 mins)
----------------------------------
Brian Hall
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