Re: Tesla Coil RF interference

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

Original poster: "Scott Hanson" <huil888-at-surfside-dot-net> 

Paul -

Can you supply some additional, specific details on your tiny 1-1/2" coil
that was able to light neon tubes from 30 FEET away? By "30 feet away" you
mean 30 MEASURED linear feet between coil and neon tube, correct? This is
not a typo? What was the free-air streamer length the coil itself could
produce at maximum output? What was the value of the tank capacitor, and the
charging voltage?

Can you describe the "neon tube" that was used? Length, diameter, shape,
etc?

When you say "light" the tube, do you mean a barely detectable flicker that
could be seen only in a dark room, or that the tube was clearly glowing from
end-to-end, or something else? Was the tube held in the hand, with both
electrodes in free air, was one end grounded, etc? Are you certain the fill
gas was neon?

Given the inverse-square law for RF power, illuminating a neon tube at 30
feet seems, well, incredible. I've seen much larger coils (5-6 foot streamer
length) illuminate conventional 48" fluorescent tubes and neon sign tubing
at 10-15 feet, but nothing past 20 feet.

More specific information would help everyone understand the mechanism
behind this extraordinary observation.

Regards,
Scott Hanson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 7:18 AM
Subject: RE: Tesla Coil RF interference


 > Original poster: "Paul Marshall" <klugmann-at-hotmail-dot-com>
 >
 > I noticed this with small out of tune coils. Actually, the first coil I
 > ever built was on a 1 1/2 inch form. At low power 450 watts, It would
light
 > a neon tube at a distance of 30 feet. Metal objects that were not grounded
 > had induced voltages as high as 3kV. My neighbors complained about their
TV
 > just looking like a blizzard. On the other hand my 6.5" coil running at 10
 > kW wouldn't do that and I was getting 8' streamers. I think it has a lot
to
 > do with frequency. You seem to have just hit the right one.
 >
 >
 >
 > Paul S. Marshall
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > >From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > >To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > >Subject: Tesla Coil RF interference
 > >Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 23:03:04 -0600
 > >
 > >Original poster: "Gary Weaver" <gary350-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 > >
 > >I have noticed when I fire up my 10" coil it sets off motion detector
 > >light, security alarm systems, causes TV interference for 5 blocks it all
 > >directions of my house.   The neighbors security lights flash on and off.
 > >I can hear several alarm systems going off all over the neighbor hood.
I
 > >took my portable 4" TC to work and fired it up and the telephone system
was
 > >static so loud it was like putting my ear up to the spark gap.  Even the
PA
 > >system sounds like the spark gap amplified to 50 watts.  I don't own a
cell
 > >phone so I was wondering what effect a TC has on a cell phone?   Does it
 > >have any effect on a cell phone at 20 ft, 50 ft, 100 ft???
 > >
 > >Gary Weaver
 > >
 >