Re: Maggies and such

[FutureT-at-aol-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

In a message dated 8/15/00 10:26:41 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

> 
>    A question on magnifiers....
>  
>      I am guessing that the secondary and tertiary coils have to be at the
>  same resonant freq.  Makes sense to me that they would be.  But will having
>  different inductances (a big fat driver with mediocre turns and a tertiary
>  that's wound with finer wire for more turns so they have the same res.
>  freq)..ideas?  I'm wanting to get the surge impedance down on the driver so
>  it can be coupled tighter.  Yep, gap losses go up, but this is for
>  examination more than long sparks.
>  
>                           Caio!
>                                       Sundog

Sundog,

There is no particular frequency relationship between the secondary
and extra coil of a magnifier.  THe two coils resonate together much
as one combined coil would.  THe overall coupling of a magnifier
depends not only on the driver coupling, but on the ratios of 
inductances of the extra coil and secondary.  So if the extra
coil has a great amount of inductance compared to the secondary,
the overall coupling may still be rather loose despite the tight
coupling of the driver.  Overall magnifier couplings are generally
somewhat loose... and this is what the spark gap "sees". 

Cheers,
John Freau