Re: Simulation vs. Experimentation

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>


> Of course, "normal" folks don't need super high accuracy, 5% or 10% 
> is fine and the measurements can be fairly lax to get that.  It is 
> far easier to simply move the primary tap around a little rather 
> than spend hours going over the coil with calipers....  The primary 
> tap point is also influenced by what size room the coil is in and 
> all the primary wires to the cap and gap also "count" as 
> inductance.  So even if a coil is perfect in the garage, it may need 
> a little primary adjustment out in the driveway.
>
> So the computer programs are for all practical purposes "more 
> perfect" than the "real world"...  99% of the folks here will not be 
> able to verify any errors in the programs because the programs are 
> better at calculating than they are at measuring.
>
> One certainly could make a coil and tap it so it runs just right the 
> first time (I have ;-))  But it is one heck of a lot of work!!!  the 
> programs are really meant to get darn close so once the coil is 
> built the final fine adjustment is really easy. "

   I just hope all this discussion doesn't discourage 
newcomers!  Get or make a capacitor, wind a secondary, guess at the 
primary inductance needed (pencil and paper calculation just fine), 
make a primary out of scrap wire with a few extra turns, fire it up 
and adjust the tap!  I enjoy these simulations too but for someone 
who isn't computer literate they might be frightening.

Ed