Re: [TCML] Primary Support Materials

["David Rieben" <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Greg, all,

Yes, I certainly agree that PVC is farily prone to
tracking, especially when used in key insulative
components of a fair sized VTTC (personal ex-
perience with this). I've also discovered that it
does not fair too well over the long term as the
containment tube for a multiple "RQ" style sta-
tionary spark gap, as white PVC tends to de-
velop a yellowish-brown tinge, which is brittle
and tends to be somewhat conductive, in the pre-
sence of the strong UV radiation from the SG.
However, I have had absolutely no trouble along
these lines using it (gray electrical grade PVC) as
primary support rails in my large coil, which is now
about half way into it's 7th year of existance. And
I don't think that it's really THAT ugly ;^))

David Rieben



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "G Hunter" <dogbrain_39560@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 10:12 PM
Subject: Re: [TCML] Primary Support Materials


> I'll second that motion.  I've been using PVC pipe and zip ties for my 
> primary supports since the 1990's.  I've never noticed any particular 
> propensity for PVC to break down and carbon track--not any worse than any 
> other plastic.  This is the quickest, cheapest way for the non-machinist 
> to build a primary support.  If you require an appearance-grade coil, do 
> something else.  The PVC pipe method isn't pretty.
>
> Greg
>
> http://myweb.cableone.net/grcarhunter
>
> --- On Mon, 8/23/10, David Rieben <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > From: David Rieben <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Re: [TCML] Primary Support Materials
> > To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Date: Monday, August 23, 2010, 8:09 AM
> > Hi Brandon,
> >
> > I used a wooden base and simply cut to proper length
> > 8 pieces of gray plastic (electrical grade) 2" PVC pipe
> > and drilled a line of evenly spaced (appr. 1/2" spacing)
> > holes down the length of each piece. Then I fastened
> > each of the 8 PVC pipe lengths in an even radial pattern
> > around the base of the secondary coil and proceeded
> > to tie down the primary copper tubing to the PVC pri-
> > mary supports via "zip-ties", using the pre-drilled holes
> > to wrap the zip-ties around to secure the copper tubing
> > to the surface of the PVC supports. Works like a champ
> > with my 10 kVA pole pig driven, 8 ft. tall "Green Monster"
> > Tesla coil in the very humid (and HOT in the summer!)
> > conditions of Memphis:
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3pfStBx2qY&feature=search
> >
> > Here's a close-up image of my primary coil arrangement
> > to give a better idea of my above description:
> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/33464569@N05/3718223376/
> >
> > David Rieben
>
>
>
>
>
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