Re: more newbie questions

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

Original poster: "marc metlicka by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>

Matt,
I wouldn't waste your money on these tranny's. the "short circuit
shutdown" protection means every time your gap fires the transformer
will cut out.
keep looking for a nice 15\60 nst, you'll find one.
Take care,
Marc M.

Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: "Matt by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
<pickle7-at-surfbest-dot-net>
 >
 > Okay Ive been looking for a transformer on ebay, and i found these variable
 > 2000 to 6000v 30ma transformers -->
 > http://cgi.ebay-dot-com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4665&item=3105018219
 > and
 > http://cgi.ebay-dot-com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4665&item=3105014130.
 > It mentions it's self-adjusting solid state transformer. Will this work w/
 > a tesla coil or do i need something more conventional?
 >
 > -------Original Message-------
 >
 > From: Tesla list
 > Date: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 06:51:00 PM
 > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Subject: RE: more newbie questions
 >
 > Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz
 > <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
 >
 > 4kV is MORE than enough to build a very nice tesla coil.
 > Also, for a tesla coil operating at 4kV and say up to 50mA output current,
 > connecting the secondary rf ground
 > to house ground is PERFECTLY acceptable and noise is very minimum.
 >
 > Dan
 >
 > Matt: Your voltage is very low,4Kv, but it should work. Connecting your
 > coil to Power ground of your house is NOT recomended as this can carry high
 > voltage sparks all through your house,( TV, computer, sterio,) a water pipe
 > is good and a pipe driven into the ground is even better. I construct
 > capacitors out of aluminum flashing and 12 layers of 4 mill. polyethelene in
 > oil. For your first coil I do not suggest this. The Geek group beer bot salt
 > water capacitors are a good project of low cost and size made in a 5 gal
 > poly bucket. I use my poly capacitors to handle the high power, but with
 > your low voltage the trouble is not worth the cost.
 > Robert H
 > --
 >
 >  > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >  > Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 22:07:18 -0700
 >  > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 >  > Subject: Re: more newbie questions
 >  > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 >  > Resent-Date: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 22:09:15 -0700
 >  >
 >  > Original poster: "Matt by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>"
 >  > <pickle7-at-surfbest-dot-net>
 >  >
 >  > I'm trying to figure out this tesla stuff too, and I decided to jump in
 > and
 >  > start making a secondary coil, since its one of the most time consuming
 >  > parts and i had pvc lying around (from the making of my potato
 > gun...heh).
 >  > I used the mini coil here -
 > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/teslacoil4.htm
 >  > - as a starting point. I'm using a 2" pvc pipe with 30 gauge wire. It
 > looks
 >  > pretty considering I've never done this before, but I didn't get quite
 > wire
 >  > enough to finish. Whats the best way to add on more wire? I don't expect
 > my
 >  > coil to be high quality, I'm just experimentationalizing. And about these
 >  > salt water capacitors, how would I go about making one? I saw
 > instructions
 >  > on how to make a cap with sheets of aluminum and polystyrene (or some
 >  > poly-type-ish material like that). Whats the best way to make one? And
 > one
 >  > more thing - schematics ive seen say that certain parts need to be
 >  > grounded. My understanding of having something grounded is that they need
 >  > to be connected to a pipe or something that goes underground to disipate
 >  > electricity. But, in the pictures on the previously noted site, the coil
 > is
 >  > operating in the living room or something. Are the grounds connected to
 > the
 >  > ground in the wall socket? Some advice would be nice. And sorry for my
 >  > gross lack of knowlage about this stuff.
 >  >
 >  >
 >  > []
 >  >
 >  > Matt Marsh
 >  > pickle7-at-surfbest-dot-net
 >  > AIM - SquishyPickle
 >  > ICQ - 161231703
 >  > -------Original Message-------
 >  >
 >  > From: Tesla list
 >  > Date: Saturday, January 04, 2003 10:18:55 AM
 >  > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 >  > Subject: Re: more newbie questions
 >  >
 >  > Original poster: "marc metlicka by way of Terry Fritz
 >  > <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>
 >  >
 >  > James,
 >  > My very first capacitors were made from gallon pickle jars. I used
 >  > aluminium tape on the outside rubbed very smooth, then salt water filled
 >  > to the tape line on the inside. I put a little oil on the salt water and
 >  > used 1\2" copper t's with one pipe extending into the salt. Each jug
 >  > gave around 5nf so i ganged 5 or 7 together, (placed on aluminium foil
 >  > for connection) to power nst powered coils. I once ganged 11 of them
 >  > together with a very fancy copper tubing array, this gave me a nice
 >  > ..06uf that stood up to a 300-1 pt at full power.
 >  >
 >  > these are very nice starter caps so I say "go for it" (I tried to upload
 >  > pics of them on my site
 >  > "http://www.fortunecity-dot-com/meltingpot/syria/1210/index.htm
 >  > But it's down right now?
 >  > Take care,"back again" Marc M.
 >  >
 >  >>
 >  >>> I was wandering if I could make a capacitor using 1 gallon glass pickle
 >  >>> jars. Since my wife is pregnant, I have a lot of them laying around and
 > I
 >  >>> have been trying to find a use for them. If I can use them, how do you
 >  >>> figure out the capacitance?
 >  >>>
 >  >>
 >  >
 >  >