One interesting effect of using a plexiglass form for the secondary is that the plexiglass seems hold a charge after the coil is shut off (depending where in the charging cycle the coil is shut off). The prevalent theory is that the plexiglass exhibits an "electret" effect where the polymer structure of the material will hold an electrical charge for some time. PVC forms I have used do not seem to exhibit the effect.
A true electret is a sort of "permanent magnet", except that the material retains a permanent electrical, rather than magnetic charge. True electret polymers are used to construct electret microphones, tha depend on the charge to produce an output signal.
I have gotten minor zaps from a plexiglass secondary hours after the coil has been turned off.
Don
--- On Tue, 1/15/13, Jon Danniken <danniken@xxxxx> wrote:
From: Jon Danniken <danniken@xxxxx>
Subject: Re: [TCML] 6" Tesla coil plexiglass secondary - FOR SALE
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 8:42 PM
On 01/15/2013 11:53 AM, dfroula@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
wrote:
Wound on low-loss plexiglass form. Far superior to
lossy PVC coil form!
I don't think the difference in RF losses between a
"low-loss plexiglass form" and a PVC form are even
noticeable in a tesla coil.
Is this just advertising hype, or do have actual data from
real-world operation showing "far superior" performance with
a "low-loss plexiglass" form?
Also, is this a special "low-loss" version of plexiglass,
because I have yet to come across any type of plexiglass
that specifies lower RF losses in any of the plastics
dealers I have come across.
Thanks,
Jon
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