Re: New Coil

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Mike" <mike.marcum@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Finished dissecting the one with the crack. Tomorrow I'll post pics with 
desciptions tomorrow, need to get a shower and take a nap. I was quite 
surprised that these ARE designed like the 942C's with 2 sets of foil and a 
strip of metal film in the middle. 8 sections each about the size of a 
hershey bar. Connected in 4 sets of 2 parallel with lead clad copper strip 
and 3 layers of fish paper/2 layers of hdpe plastic seperating the 
sections. Only damage I could find was 1 of the connections between the 
sections was kinda loose compared to the others, which means too much peak 
current at one point. The weak connection heated up till the oil expanded 
and popped the case I guess. Had to have been from previous use as I don't 
see how I could hit over 25kA peak (40kA dead short with just a straight 
piece of wire)/25A rms with the mediocre-sized coil I was using. Oh well, 
hit or miss I guess, still better than buying new for $600 a pop. Have 3 
others I might trade in for the 942C's ($115 worth to equal a maxwell, 
except 1300Apk instad of 25000 Apk rating, and new).

Mike
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: New Coil


> Original poster: "Gerald  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Maybe, if there is anything left of that maxwell that exploded, Terry 
> could look at it and learn something.  Or maybe a good maxwell could be 
> tested to destruction to learn of the failure modes.  If one knew what 
> kind of internal cap was used to make these maxwells, maybe one could do a 
> test on that instead.  Anyone out there with a bad maxwell that could be 
> taken apart???
>
> Gerry R
>
> > Original poster: Esondrmn@xxxxxxx
> > Gerry,
> >
> > I have not had one of the Maxwells apart.  I have inspected the 
> > construction of a commercial capacitor manufactured by Condenser 
> > Products. As you would expect, they are made of several smaller sections 
> > in series and oil filled.  I guess the question we would like answered is 
> > are these Maxwell caps as bullit proof (i.e. underrated, over built) as 
> > the mmc caps that Terry put to the destructive testing?  Maybe they are 
> > as I still haven't heard of anyone blowing one up.  I don't think the 
> > typical oil filled caps are self healing.  Maybe the first puncture 
> > contaminates the oil and leads to full scale destruction?  That is how it 
> > seems to be on the home made poly / aluminum flashing oil filled caps 
> > that I have built.
> >
> > Ed Sonderman