TC Spark Energy

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

Original poster: "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-mgte-dot-com> 


For over twenty years the coilers on the List have used output spark length
to compare their coils. The input is usually shown as a total input watts.
The problem is that this does not give the coiler any indication of the
actual energy per spark to give a true comparison of Tesla coils. To my
knowledge no coiler (see below) has ever determined the TC input energy
(joules) per spark for these comparisons. Do any coilers know how this could
be best accomplished?

The overall engineering efficiency is represented by

    Percent efficiency = 100 x Spark Length/Input Energy (joules)

The spark length could be in centimeters, inches, etc, and the input energy
in joules or watt-seconds. The energy in the spark output is a complex
parameter so would have to be a compromise. In past postings the approximate
losses in the TC system have been determined and the characteristics of the
spark have been estimated. The preliminary tests I have made gave  8.5
inches (21.59 cm) per joule of input energy. Has any other coiler made these
tests?

John Couture

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