Re: [TCML] Safely Grounding a Tesla Coil

["Tim Wenzel" <cuba_pete@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brandon Hendershot" <brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 1:53 PM
Subject: [TCML] Safely Grounding a Tesla Coil


> Hi all,
>
> I know that it's said that you need an entirely seperate ground rod  when 
> opperating tesla coils because the high voltage grounding through  the 
> house wiring is extremely dangerous to anything plugged into any  other 
> grounded outlet on the same circuit. But what if you attached  the coils 
> ground wire directly to the ground rod. It would be  bypassing the house 
> wiring, so the high voltage won't be running by  any precious electronics 
> inside the house. It shouldn't be running  back up into the house right?
> I'm trying to be minimalistic so I don't have to try to pound down a 
> ground rod of my own.
>
> Thanks,
> Brandon
It made a big difference when I sunk a new ground rod in my yard.  Even when 
the coil is not firing except for the spark gap, there is very little RF in 
my house (speakers on the TV).  Fortunately for me, though, the transformer 
for the buried power lines in my neighborhood is in my front yard, about 60 
feet from my ground rod.  I isolated the RF and power supply ground 
completely in my coil to alleviate any ground loops.  I think it makes for a 
better spark, but the coil will still run without any ground connection 
whatsoever (oops, that did make some noise on the speakers!  My wife 
informed me of that). 

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