RE: Counterpoise and MMC demise

["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>

Dr, can you cite a mechanism for this "reflected" energy that would be 
evident to the tank cap?  Conservation of energy prohibits the voltage on 
the cap from ever exceeding the gap breakdown voltage.

There have been several reports on this List where folks have forgotten to 
connect their secondary base to _anything_, and spark performance was not 
at all affected.  I'm sure that more RF noise was coupled to the mains 
wiring as a result, but I'm not convinced that RF ground integrity affects 
performance.

Gary Lau
MA, USA

 >Original poster: "Dr. Resonance by way of Terry Fritz 
<teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" ><resonance-at-jvlnet-dot-com>
 >
 >Use a proper ground on the sec.    Don't mess with counterpoises as they
 >don't provide enough to give you proper coil operation.  The result is
 >energy is reflected back into the primary where it can be destructive as you
 >found out.
 >
 >Also, a proper ground will give you the best sparks out of the sec. coil.
 >
 >Dr. Resonance
 >
 >Resonance Research Corporation
 >E11870 Shadylane Rd.
 >Baraboo   WI   53913

 >> Is using a counterpoise hard on MMC capacitors?  My coil is only small
 >> 6kV/30 mA NST, multiple static gap, MMC, copper tube flat primary
 >> (tapped at 3.5 turns), 3.5" secondary with small spun toroid.  When
 >> running it at home using a quarter inch rod about 1 foot into the ground
 >> for the rf ground I have had no problems.  Without changing tune or
 >> anything other than using a 2.5 x 3 foot piece of steel triangle mesh
 >> (like used on gang ways to walk on) as a counterpoise I blew a capacitor
 >> in my MMC.