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Science Project




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From:  Dan & Lynette Pueppke [SMTP:westridg-at-rapidnet-dot-com]
Sent:  Sunday, February 08, 1998 1:35 PM
To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject:  Science Project

I've been reading the mail for just a few days.  I'm helping my daughter
construct a coil for her science fair project and ,of course, have a few
design questions.  Any assistance would be most welcome.  I have read quite
a bit from archives but most was several years old and I need the most
recent, hence my queries.

Here's what we have for potential design thus far:

2- 15KV-30 mA Neons

What type of RFI chokes and bypass caps to place on neon's sec.?

Primary caps.- plan to build 3 rolled poly using .090 thickness with this
flashing at 16" x 102" these appear that they will be .01624747uF.  Is more
better? 2,3?  What would the effect of more capacitance be, other than
requiring a different pri. L?  ( the info that I have on this design is
dated '94, so I need the "state-of-the-art" info today) Do they need to be
pumped down or are they going to be OK to breakin by just filling with oil?

Gap-So far my thoughts here have been to use "air blast" using a 3HP(peak)
shopvac as a source.  I have some Cu bar stock in 3/8" thickness that I
could make either discs or squares to form the gap components.  Does it need
to be a series gap using this setup, or will a single do?  Where am I off?
I don't have much on the pri. coil yet.  I assume 3/8" Cu tubing at ?
length.  I think that I see some merit in a 'saucer' coil.  The theory is to
present a uniform field to the secondary without overcoupling.  Any
thoughts?

Secondary- Coilform of PVC, if I must, coated with polyurethane under and
over the winding.  How about ABS? As it is a styrene product, is it low loss
and wouldn't require sealing like PVC?  We expect to use 6" form of some
kind by 24" long.  Tried to follow Richard Quick's info here.  Is this
current?

Cterm-I guess the idea here seems to be to use as large a torroid as will
still allow spark to break out.  We plan on using the popular Al dryer
duct(4" dia.).  What diameter would suit this system?

LAST QUESTIONS:    I don't have a problem doing the physical construction,
with some design guidance from the likes of you folks.  Can we get this
thing matched and tuned without a roomful of test equipment?  What would you
expect for performance?

If you have read this far without hitting delete, you are to be commended.
You must truly have a soft heart for newbies such as myself.  I hope that I
won't be kicked off the list for all of these questions!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Dan & (daughter) Jennifer
Dan & Lynette Pueppke-AA0YN & KB0VXO
42474 251 Street
Alexandria, SD  57311-7612
EN13ds
605-239-4226
westridge-at-rapidnet-dot-com