Re: "Green Monster" Magnifier completed

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: Edward Wingate <ewing7-at-rochester.rr-dot-com> 

Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br>

 >  > I did a quick test. Even with the driver wrapped in several layers of 
LDPE
 >  > (~0.25 inch altogether), I still got L1 to L2 arcing due to the coupling
 >  > set high (0.586). I shut it down immediately as not to cause a turn 
to turn
 >  > short. Today I'll raise the driver 3" which will put k at 0.389 and 
go from
 >  > there.
 >
 > I wonder if adding layers of insulation is affective against primary
 > to secondary arcing. The insulation does not decrease the electric
 > field.
 > It can actually increase it. If properly placed, it can at most avoid
 > destructive arcs, if the arcs don't simply track over the insulation,
 > or (I have seen this) spread one end over the insulation, coupling
 > capacitively to the coil under it.
 >
 > It's possible to make a magnifier driver with high coupling and good
 > insulation using a short, wide, secondary, and a flat primary.
 >
 > Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz

Hi Antonio,

Layers of insulating plastic are definitely effective in controlling
primary to secondary arcing. If it were not for the multi-layers of
polypropylene sheeting installed between the secondary and primary of my
magnifier, it would self destruct in a matter of minutes. Richard Hull
and many others who have built and experimented with magnifiers have
also used this method to avoid undesired primary/secondary arcing.

I have also found that black plastic electrical tape used to hold the
end
of the outermost plastic sheet tight will propagate arcing while plain
old silver colored duct tape will not. Go figure.

Ed Wingate RATCB