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Re: "6 Pack" Cap questions

Subject:  Re: "6 Pack" Cap questions
  Date:  Mon, 09 Jun 1997 12:17:01 Eastern Daylight Time
  From:  "Mad Coile{" <ts5815-at-devrycols.edu>
    To:  Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


>Subject:  "6 Pack" Cap questions
>  Date:   Sun, 08 Jun 1997 09:57:42 -0400
>  From:  Pete Demoreuille <pbd-at-cybernex-dot-net>
>    To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>
>
>How do you measure the capacitance of salt water caps, and the
>approximate breakdown voltage of the arrays?
>
>I had an idea if the breakdown was too low, and you don't want
>to put alot in series, could you first coat the outside of the
>bottle with a coat of polurethane, then apply the foil?
>
>has anyone tried different materials other than aluminum/tin foil?
>how about anything other than salt water?
>
>Any help is greatly appreciated!
>Pete Demoreuille
>pbd-at-cybernex-dot-net, pbd-at-delbarton-dot-org
>
>
>
>

Pete, I am currently using salt water caps (they work o.k.).
Because of the various materials bottles are made from I think
it would be nearly impossible to calculate the capacitance - I 
use a capacitance meter. As for the V rating - that also depends
on what your using. I use 10kV transformers, glass will work 
but I don't recomend it. I use plastic quick slam bottles in a 
bucket of salt water (no Al foil). I have found that with just
the thickness of the wall on a quick slam bottle(Mountain Dew-
works the best) that it will fail in about 30 sec. I ran two
buckets in series and haven't lost a bottle yet. With 5 bottles
in both buckets, and the two buckets in series, I get about 
12-15nF of capacitance. Unless you can handle a big mess you 
might want to try some other capacitors. With the 5 gallon 
bucket with all that surface area ther is corona loss, and to
compensate you can pour about an inch of veg oil or motor oil
to seal the top of the salt water(in the bottles and in the 
bucket). Transporting these can sometimes get messy.I work at 
a college and picked up all the empty bottles
for free, the only cost in my caps was 23cents for non-iodized
salt, and a dozen 1/4" * 6" carraige bolts & nuts (a dollar or 
two total).

Hope this helps
T.Stewart