Re: Insulation Problems.

["Nick Slaymaker" <nick.slaymaker-at-lineone-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Hi Aleks

Quickest, temporary way is to "extend" the terminal with a masking tape
winding and fill it with oil.  I then realised that the terminal is probably
craftily designed that way to limit the high voltage.  As a next step, I
then removed the coil innards and put it all in oil and got 4" sparks until
suddenly it all went quiet . . .

Note this retains the laminated iron core so the the coil is not operating
in resonant Tesla mode; when our esteemed moderator [who reads 100 emails a
day!] Terry gets it resonating, 13" sparks are possible!

Nick

Herts, England

> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000 17:22:49 -0600
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Insulation Problems.
> Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Resent-Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000 17:44:38 -0600
> 
> Original poster: "Aleks Nowak" <Aleks-at-sn2.co.uk>
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I would like to pose a question regarding how to insulate sufficiently the
> centre HV terminal from the two primary terminals on a car ignition coil.
> My situation is as follows:
> I have wired from the mains via a 400W dimmer and a 3uF motor start cap in
> series on the "positive side" (although with AC is shouldn't really matter)
> a car ignition coil. It worked fine - nothing over heats, and the things
> arcs like heck alternating between the two primary terminals as one would
> expect. 
> My problem has been this:
> How to prevent the HV terminal in the centre from arcing over to the two
> primary terminals. I have already got HV wire connected, but i can only
> draw an arc that is smaller than the distance across the terminals on the
> ignition coil. I have tried to insulate the two primary terminals the best
> I can with firstly self amalgamating tape, then a thick coat of hot glue.
> The problems occur after I draw an arc of about 3cm, the insulation breaks
> down, an the ignition coil begins to arc to itself again.
> Any thoughts on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks  in advance,
> 
> Aleks Nowak
> 
> 
> 
>