Re: [TCML] Tesla Coil Computer Interference

[Brandon Hendershot <brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx>]

Woops!

The "GFI" I mentioned, perhaps not necessarily a GFI, but some means of protection got tripped.

I haven't ran the coil since for fear of what else it might destroy...

On Jul 25, 2010, at 6:21 AM, Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> So, you've never operated the coil WITH a primary coil, only with the dummy
> load?
> 
> The Terry filter is there only to protect the NST; it doesn't do anything to
> keep "stuff" out of the mains.
> 
> Correct about the secondary midpoint.
> 
> Glad to hear that the PC is OK.  Usually when you hear beep codes coming
> from a PC, it means there's some major fault that makes the PC unbootable,
> and the sequence of beeps denotes the nature of the fault.
> 
> I didn't follow you about an "internal GFI".  PC's don't have a GFI.  Did a
> GFI somewhere get tripped?  GFI's often don't get along well with TC's and
> usually best to run the TC on a circuit without a GFI.
> 
> The coil drawing too much power should just trip a circuit breaker.  So does
> your PC start beeping every time you run your coil (with the dummy load),
> and it returns to normal by just rebooting?
> 
> Regards, Gary Lau
> MA, USA
> 
> On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Brandon Hendershot <
> brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Gary,
>> 
>> It's never done this before... Only when I attached the dummy load. Of
>> course, I've never had the primary coil in place either... Shouldn't the
>> Terry Filter prevent this kind of stuff?
>> And "midpoint ground", does that mean the ground connection on the case is
>> wired to the midpoint of the secondary windings, Or am I mistaken?
>> And the computer is alive and well. I assume that beeping was a signifier
>> of an internal GFI being tripped. Everything else on the circuit is fine...
>> Oh! Could it be that adding the coil on the wiring circuit was drawing too
>> much power (a lot of power strips in use anyways) caused it? That seems a
>> bit illogical though...
>> Thanks,
>> Brandon
>> 
>> On Jul 24, 2010, at 4:45 PM, Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>>> I just noticed - you said your NST case is connected to the Variac green
>>> wire (mains safety ground).  This is wrong, IMO.  The NST case should be
>>> connected only to the RF ground, although there is some controversy here.
>>> But this still doesn't explain what zapped your PC.
>>> 
>>> Regards, Gary Lau
>>> MA, USA
>>> 
>>> On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 7:36 PM, Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Oooo - not a good sign!  I would have guessed that using the dummy load
>>>> would have been a more benign case than normal operation, since there's
>> no
>>>> RF oscillations without a primary.  I'm at a loss to suggest a fault
>>>> mechanism.  Any possibility the primary circuit or dummy load could have
>>>> made contact with the mains?  Is the PC still dead?
>>>> 
>>>> Regards, Gary Lau
>>>> MA, USA
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 5:59 PM, Brandon Hendershot <
>>>> brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>> Ran my coil the other day to test out that primary coil simulator I
>> just
>>>>> recently made. It worked great! (Thanks again Gary) But when I shut it
>> down
>>>>> and pulled my ear muffs off, I noticed my computer was making this loud
>>>>> solid "BEEEEEEEEEP" noise and wouldn't respond to keyboard or mouse
>> input.
>>>>> What concerns me, is that the coil wasn't grounded at all except NST
>> case
>>>>> to Variac to Green Wire Ground... Could it have interfered just through
>> the
>>>>> mains power wires? My computer's only the next outlet down in the same
>>>>> circuit...
>>>>> All input appreciated here,
>>>>> Brandon
>>>>> 
>>>>> Note: no safety gaps fired, nor were there any abnormalities...
>> (arcing,
>>>>> smoke, etc.)
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
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