RE: [TCML] Stranded/silver plated wire (was Scientific Method)

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

I'd be really curious to hear how you determined that the peak current was higher using the stranded wire.  What method of instrumentation?  Or were you just relying upon a visual recollection that the sparks seemed brighter, and inferred that peak(?) currents were different?  If the two coils were swapped into the same PSU/primary/cap/topload, the time delay between runs, the likelihood of coupling differences, topload and tuning differences, make such a subjective comparison less than compelling.

What type of insulation does the stranded wire have?  I would imagine Teflon or PVC?  It seems dimensionally impossible that one could have two coils, one wound with magnet wire, the other with a far more thickly-insulated stranded wire, that would have the same dimensions, same wire gauge, and same number of turns.

Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of DC Cox
> Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:57 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Stranded/silver plated wire (was Scientific Method)
> 
> Someone asked the question about 10 years ago, and I provided an answer.
> Another person raised the question this week and I again gave this different
> person --- the exact same answer.
> 
> 
> The silveer tinned stranded wire has provided superior peak current in the
> sec coil.
> 
> I've built magnet wire coils and silver-tinned stranded coils and the
> stranded, silver tinned coils, always develop more current in the sec coil.
> These are near identical coils, same number of turns, same wire guage, and
> same coilform type (fiberglass) that I used in my testing approx 25 years
> ago. I can't explain exactly why but it does produce increased sec current
> and hence slightly brighter sparks.
> 
> As I recall Bill Wysock also used this type of wire and can probably also
> confirm the superior performance.
> 
> Dr. Resonance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 1:33 PM, Lau, Gary <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > Are you saying that you use silver-plated STRANDED wire for secondaries?
> >  Granted, AC resistance and Q are far less important on the secondary side,
> > but the notion of this wire being superior to common magnet wire is
> > incorrect.  Stranded wire is inherently more lossy at RF frequencies.  This
> > is because the skin effect causes current to travel on the outer surface of
> > the bundle.  If a strand on the outside of the bundle weaves to the interior
> > of the bundle, the current in that strand will try to find its way back to
> > the surface, and this means traveling to adjacent conductors, through any
> > resistive oxide layers between them.  This strand-hopping results in a much
> > higher AC resistance than if a single conductor were used.  This is the
> > reason that Litz wire insulates the strands from one another.
> >
> > I am NOT suggesting that stranded wire is unsuitable for use in
> > secondaries, since secondary Q is not extremely important.  Clearly it works
> > OK.  Just that it's incorrect to suggest that the wire you use is somehow
> > superior, beyond aesthetics.  And honestly, I'm no longer even sure if you
> > DID suggest that it was superior.
> >
> > As to your legal constraints, I would, putting on my moderator hat, insist
> > that you not drop any further references and teases to things that you are
> > unable to speak freely about.  You must realize that dropping such
> > unverifiable claims calls into question your credibility.
> >
> > Regards, Gary Lau
> > MA, USA
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> > > Behalf Of DC Cox
> > > Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 11:42 AM
> > > To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> > > Subject: Re: [TCML] Scientific Method
> > >
> > > Anyone attend Tesla Fest 2009 can see the 1 Hy inductors for themselves.
> >  We
> > > use them in our Marx generators, and will have a 600 kV unit in
> > operation.
> > >
> > > They  can also see a few of our large coils in operation with silver
> > tinned
> > > wire, fine stranded.
> > >
> > > As for the large coil down south, I've already clearly stated my reasons
> > for
> > > not showing photos of it (like getting sued).  My legal contract with my
> > > client protects his desire to remain annonomous, and I will respect that
> > > agreement which I signed.
> > >
> > > Dr. Resonance
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tesla mailing list
> > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> >
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