Re: Are Monster Toploads Really Needed?

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

Original poster: "Gregory Hunter by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Good fuel for thought! Since I am not an engineer and
I do not have a rack of test equipment to analyze my
coils with, I can only contribute anecdotal evidence.

As the top loads on my coils have grown, the spark
length has grown too.  There's a practical limit to
toroid size--if it is too big for the available input
power, it won't break out.  Therefore, the biggest,
fattest top load capable of providing reliable
breakout also seems to give the longest spark.

Here's an example: On my 6" x 30" coil system running
at 240vac/20A input, crowned with a 4" x 20" toroid, 
I was stuck at a plateau of about 60" max strike
distance.  However, when I switched to a 7" x 28" car
tire inner tube covered with foil, the spark strike
distance increased to 82" measured (but I'm sure I've
seen some longer). I could recount other, similar
observations, but I think I've put in my $0.02 worth.
For long sparks, you need a big topload.

Cheers,

Greg
http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>
> 
> Hi all, Is it not possible that a tank circuit with
> an appropriately
> wound coil could work without a monster toriod
> topload and give equally
> devastating arcs?  I still stand by my statement
> that our coil can
> produce an equal arc when tuned with a toroid,
> sphere, or no topload at
> all.  The arc length remains the same as long as the
> primary is tuned for
> optimum coupling.    Al.   
> 
> On Sat, 14 Apr 2001 11:03:40 -0600 "Tesla list"
> <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> writes:
> > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" 
> > <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>
> > 
> > Message to newbies,
> > 
> > I would not want newbies to be misled. Most coils
> > will give much longer sparks when the properly
> > sized toroid is used.  I have to admit that I've
> never yet seen a 
> > coil
> > that does not benefit from the use of a properly
> sized toroid.   To
> > give just one example, my old coil that gave 40"
> sparks from a 
> > 12/30 NST, gave only 26" or so with no toroid.  My
> newer coil gives
> > the longest sparks (42") using a 4" by 13" toroid.
>  If I replace 
> > that with
> > a 3" by 10" toroid, the sparks are reduced to
> about 33".  Of course
> > I tune for longest sparks in every case.  Of
> course a spherical
> > topload can give excellent results also.   The
> bottom line is that
> > not only do Tesla coils benefit from the use of a
> toroid or sphere
> > on top, they also benefit from having the
> *properly sized* topload.
> > There is a topload size *range* within which the
> results will be 
> > similar.
> > 
> > Of course besides giving longer sparks, toploads
> also provide other
> > benefits such as; shielding the top secondary
> turns from corona,
> > aiming the sparks horizontally, giving a more
> spectacular display,
> > brightening the sparks, etc.
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > John 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
>
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