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Re: TC Ground Currents (fwd)





---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 17:17:57 -0600
From: "D.C. Cox" <DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: TC Ground Currents (fwd)

to: Adam

I presume you are talking about the return for the bottom of the sec coil. 
Peak currents here are on the order of 5-10 Amperes or more even for small
coils.  A wide copper strap offers a very low value of inductance.  We
usually use 4 AWG welding cable (very finely stranded) on small to medium
coils and 2 ought welding cable for larger units.  You are charging a cap
to a very high value of energy and then dumping the energy rapidly which
generates very high peak currents.  A typical .05 MFD Maxwell cap when used
with a pole pig on a coil generating 7-8 ft. long sparks will hit peak
currents of 2,300 Amperes in a low inductance primary (we measured it
once).  Use the largest ground you can afford on the bottom of the sec coil
-- also prevents stress in this area as it forces the bottom of the sec to
a definite low resistance connect to the ground plane.  

DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net


----------
> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: TC Ground Currents (fwd)
> Date: Wednesday, July 15, 1998 10:06 PM
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 22:26:46 -0500
> From: Adam Parker <park_e_r-at-hiwaay-dot-net>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: TC Ground Currents
> 
> This is probably a stupid question but can the ground currents on TC
> secondary exceed the maximum current output of the neons? Also, why is a
> copper strap preffered over a heavy gauge copper ground wire?
> 
> Adam