RE: Induction coil driven Tesla coil driver information

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

Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Gary.Lau-at-hp-dot-com>

Hi Peter,

That is a lovely induction coil!  But using that to power a Tesla coil is 
like employing a beauty queen to scrub floors.  I have no experience doing 
so, but I believe such an application is not efficient.  Almost any sort of 
mains-driven transformer - NST, MOT, bug zapper xfmr, oil burner ignition 
transformer - will result in better performance and a simpler design.

But I do understand that such transformers are not available to 
everyone.  If you're bound and determined to drive a TC with your IC, may I 
suggest a mains-driven power supply based on a lamp dimmer?  I suspect this 
is a far simpler approach than building a driver from scratch.  Kurt 
Shraner posted a schematic on his web site.  The driver is at 
http://home.datacomm.ch/k.schraner/Dimmer1.gif, and Kurt's main web site is 
at http://home.datacomm.ch/k.schraner/index.htm.

If you have trouble reading a schematic, you're going to have to find a 
local mentor, there's not a lot we can do via reasonable emails.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

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Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
<zardoz-at-albany-dot-net>

Hi,

I recently purchased a nice larger induction coil that I
would like to use to drive a small Tesla coil (TC).

My question concerns solid state drivers for induction coils (IC's).

The IC i purchased has a beautifully made interruptor that was
constructed by scaling up a similar interruptor found in an old
text. (according to the skilled seller, and his work is a work of
art.)

The problem with this interruptor is it was made to achieve maximum
spark length, and it does this very well. It is heavy and slow, I
need a much faster interruptor to light geissler tubes etc. (This
wont vibrate when hooked up to a geissler tube) and I believe I also
need a faster interruptor to power a Tesla coil (shorter hotter
sparks of the type produced by IC's intended for wireless work.)

Photos of this IC and some specs can be seen at:
http://www.albany-dot-net/~zardoz/inductioncoil.html

The coil can be powered from a 12 volt car battery.

I need information about how to build a solid state driver for this
coil. I must admit I do not have alot of electrical knowledge,
especially for reading schematics etc.

I have found some plans at:
http://www.geocities-dot-com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/5322/hv2.html

But attempts to contact this person received failure notices.
(Most of the pages still work)
He has some solid state drivers for car coils that I would like
to adapt for my coil. I noticed that on one of the schematics, he
has 12 volts+ in, but doesn't show where the 12v - goes (assuming
a car battery is used, what do you do with the 12v-? This question
I'm sure will illustrate my lack of electronics knowledge.

Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Peter
B.

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