[TCML] DC coils

[charles rakes <crakes29@xxxxxxxxx>]

I can recommend using a dc version with a rotary gap that charges the
capacitors and then discharge through the rotary and fixed gap.   This way
the power supply is never connected to the primary coil.   This system
requires no transformer protection and works great.  I first read about
this method here several years ago and gave it a try but at the time I
didn't get it right.  December 31, 2012 was the best Tesla coil day I've
ever experienced in all the many years that I've been playing with Tesla
coil circuits.  I finally got the dc coil    working like I believe it
should.   I'm using a 5800v 330ma heavy plate supply with one side of the
secondary grounded and the other side  feeding a positive 8kv and -8kv
output supply.  My rsg is a simple one.  Two contacts connected together on
the rotor and four stationary contacts.   In series I'm using a RQ spark
gap.  The primary has 15 turns of thin flat 3-inch copper material.  The
secondary has about an 18-inch long by 4.5 dia winding of number 28 wire.
Top loaded with an 18x4-inch toroid.  The first run was producing over two
ft of spark.   And I had not done any tuning.  Did have a good idea where
to start with the primary tap.   I let it set over night and it hit me that
I should have added a choke in between the power supply and spark gap.
Oh  boy what joy!  It was shooting sparks out in every direction with well
over 3 ft.  I don't know how long the strikes might have gone because they
were hitting objects in all direction.   I'm waiting for a nice warm night
so I can move it out doors and really tune it and see what it can do.  Also
might need a larger toroid.
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