Re: [TCML] DIY Tank Capacitor - Plate configuration confusion

[Davetracer@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 9/24/2008 11:42:12 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
freeekyg@xxxxxxxxx writes:

_http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff108/FreeekyG/FreakyTesla/FreakyCaps.jpg_
 
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff108/FreeekyG/FreakyTesla/FreakyCaps.jpg) 
 
On your D4 design, which is:
 
  connection ---> Metal Plate | Metal plate | Metal Plate <--  connection , 
where the | character
is an insulating material, 
 
I don't really see why you're putting in a disconnected metal plate in the  
middle.
 
 If you just want to increase the voltage rating of the capacitor, you  could 
just do:
 
connection ---> Plate |  | Plate <-- connection   and  thus have two 
insulators right next to each other.
(Perhaps one of the EE wizards on the mailing list knows a reason to have a  
metal plate in the center which I don't.) 
 
You're actually well on your way to deriving the formula for series  
capacitors. For example,
see here: _http://www.play-hookey.com/dc_theory/series_capacitors.html_ 
(http://www.play-hookey.com/dc_theory/series_capacitors.html) 
 
Your D5 design is two of your D4 designs stacked on top of each other wired  
in parallel (that's how to easily visualize it), not close enough that the  
plates make a connection, but wired to be electrically connected. Again, they  
have the "floating" center plate, and again, I don't know of a reason  to put 
it in
 
I am not certain of your net values, but here's how to calculate  them:
 
1/C = 1/c1 + 1/c2 (etc)
 
or
C = c1 * c2
    ---------------
      c1 + c2
 
I'll just freely admit that it's been quite some time since I've done this,  
and anyone on the list, feel free to correct me.
 
My own personal experience has been with both glass and plexiglass, about  
18x18 inch, with 14 x 14 aluminum foil "plates" taped on. This is from the  
"really expensive" school of Tesla Coils (*grin). About four of these plates,  
stacked much like your D2 design (in effect + -- + -- + -- + --  all  together) 
worked fine with a 12,000 volt, 60 ma neon sign transformer. Five was,  as 
Monty Python put it, "Too Many". I ran mine without oil because it's a mess.  
Every now and then I'd get a punchthrough, and there's 70 ways to fix it,  ranging 
from glue to cutting back the foil a bit around the hole. 
 
This is admittedly quick and dirty but I had a good reason for it  and needed 
a quick and dirty Tesla Coil ... for a neighbor who woke me up  every blasted 
morning at 04:32 AM with LOUD "All Country All The Time!"  and a quick burst 
from the Tesla Coil dissolved another song about "his cheating  hound dog" 
into static, at which point he'd shut the damned radio off. It  was strange how 
the radio reception here was so bad. 
 
( He moved away a few months later.)
 
Hope this helps,
 
Dave Small
 










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