Thanks and I think you hit the nail on the head with diminishing returns. Makes 100% logic. Like your story. Worst I have done, was had a ac receptacle one plug was wired to a switch and variac and the other plug was full power. Was doing some neon transformer testing, using the plug with the switch and variac and in the stress of the moment plugged the neon into the full power side of the receptacle. Then checked that the switch was still off and then took the jumper off the end of the transformer. That will bring you straight off the floor. Took a bit to figure how it happened. Later on and thanks.
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Chris Reeland
Sent: August 27, 2020 3:38 AM
To: yurtle_t; Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: Re: [TCML] Before and After
Hi Shaun and all,
I am of the opinion that your current level of input power will probably
not see much of a difference in doing a much larger "ground plane".
From the few tests you did, you seem to be plenty sufficient with the
single rod as is. At your current power level, anything more done
grounding, you will now see what I like to call "greatly diminishing
returns for your efforts and materials". At much higher input levels, more
grounding will be required of course...but again you will eventually hit a
"wall" and again diminishing returns. Of course you do not want to be
"under grounded" at any power level. Need to reach a "balance". Some may
also have "how the soil is in their neck of the woods" as a factor
affecting overall grounding efficiency.
At least this is the way I understand it. Some others more knowledgeable
than me will have some input hopefully also coming.
I also too, want to mention a secondary grounding mishap I had
myself...oh... about a year ago. I had a poor (unknown at the time)
connection to a ground rod outside on my 304 VTTC. This was at the time,
the first time I tried to run this outdoors. Before this, it was run only
indoors in a basement on a dedicated ground rod in the basement floor.
Well...it very quickly destroyed/messed up my interrupter circuit for
pulsing. At least at the time it was built on a breadboard, so a bit easier
to fix. I actually lost track of all circuitry messed up when my coil was
"searching for a RF ground" through an undesirable path in the interrupter
circuit. I basically had to start all over on the circuit from scratch with
all new...did not trust even the few things that seemed OK. Frustrating
experience...caused me also to miss what was going to be my first
attendance at a Teslathon...oh well...I always make sure now of a
sufficient for the application ground and a GOOD connection.
Just my two cents.
Chris Reeland
Ladd Illinois USA
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab® S
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