RE: Capacitors

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Garry Freemyer by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <Garry-at-NDFC-dot-com>

I started out exactly as you are, trying to make capacitors and suffering
the woes caused by blown dialectric and even the aluminum expansion
(Aluminum expands like crazy when you heat it) changing the cap value and
detuning it so badly, I couldn't even keep it in tune long enough to get it
in tune. Sparks that would be a foot long would drop to four inches in less
than a minute.

Like Terry said, MMC is the way to go. Check out the web site he mentioned
at www.hot-streamer-dot-com and make an MMC. Even a single string MMC
outperformed any cap I have used so far. I had two foot sparks when the best
I was getting was maybe a foot long at the most.

I was determined not to have to do MMC's because I hate mail order. You just
can't buy the caps for it locally, but after weeks of frustration blowouts,
I ended up weeping like I widower and I'm 45 years old. Don't try to make
those stacked caps, they are the evilest of torture devices.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 6:58 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Capacitors


Original poster: "Tim by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<warpath-at-wtp-dot-net>

Hi to All, My name is Tim Walrath. I am endeavoring to build my first
Tesla Coil. I have purchased a 15000 volt neon sign transformer that
puts out 450VA at 30MA. I am wanting to build my own capacitors. I am
planning on using LDPE sheets at 6mil thickness and aluminun roof
flashing for the conductor plates. I am purchasing some polypropylene to
make the cases and plexiglass to make the tops. I am having trouble
figuring out how to figure the capacitance needed for the caps- that is
how much LDPE to use between each conductor plate. Math never was my
best subject but I do want to be able to figure this out. Any help would
be appreciated. Thanks, Tim