[net.physics] More on Tesla coil...

jj (04/29/83)

(This is a reposting of a cancelled article, with an utterly freudian
typo. If you see it twice, {stop using A news, don't mail me, forget it}.)
	Two other things to note about building tesla coils:

	If you can make the spark gap adjustable, then do so.
	Needless to say, don't try to adjust it while it's running.
	Do try to set it so that that it's about 90% or so of
	the striking distance, that will eliminate the problem of
	quenching the arc.

	Run the coil only in a very well *ventelated* room.  The
	Ozone generation properties of a TC are phenominal,
	and the stuff isn't too good for you.


Ohe yes...
	If you have an appropriately sized variac, try it on the
primary of the neon sign transformer.  You will find that for various tunings,
the best drive will be attained at different drive levels.  Adding more
tang bottles (I use qt. coke bottles myself, don't forget the salt!)
will make the drive level higher, so start with several, not one.
Do be careful that you don't get breakdown along the edge of the
tang (or coke) bottles, keep the outer foil (a wire into the salt water
will do fine) at least 3 in or so away from the top.


BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

mat (05/02/83)

Ok, now that we know how to build a tesla coil, what do we DO with it, and
what does it demonstrate, besides our ability to put out RFI?
					Mark Terribile
					hou5e!mat

knutsen@SRI-UNIX (05/04/83)

From:  Andrew Knutsen <knutsen at SRI-UNIX>

	I think Tesla lit his house with them.  Nowadays they have
about the same use as Jacobs Ladders, for the most part.  However large
ones are sold commercially for physics and also materials testing;  Ive
seen a few ads in magazines for them (or what look like them anyway).