Re: Capacitor in series or parallel?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Gerry  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Dirk,

It will work either way, once the SG fires, you have a parallel LC 
circuit in either configuration.  However, with the cap across the 
tranny and the SG is series with the primary coil,  the tranny will 
see the full voltage at RF frequencies.  With the SG in parallel with 
the tranny and the cap in series with the primary,  the RF primary 
current is thru the low impedance SG and the RF voltage presented to 
the tranny is significantly smaller.  NST's dont like the RF and can 
fail, so put the SG across the NST and the SG will help protect it.

Gerry R.


> Original poster: "Dirk Stubbs" <dirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> On the primary circuit of a Tesla coil, is it better to put the 
> capacitor in series or parallel with the primary coil. I have seen 
> numerous Tesla coil schematics that place the cap in parallel with 
> the primary, others the cap is in series with the primary. If the 
> cap was in parallel with the primary coil, the spark gap was in 
> series with the primary coil and vice versa.
>
> I hope I have accurately described my question.
>
>
> Dirk
>
> -