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Re: What efficiency?!



Hi Richard, all,
                 I would like to propose an experiment for a sparking 
machine that should be quite within the bounds of possibility for 
someone who has the gear. You wrote.......

> I know of know person alive who has ever measured the actual output 
> efficiency of a Tesla coil! (what is this efficiency?- what are its 
> parameters-RF, Spark energy, magnetic fields, all?) I also know of no 
> form or process involving anything about the spark which will yield even 
> a +/- 20% correct answer to any question regarding same. 
> 
> I do know of a lot of proposed methods of measuring efficiency with none 
> of them having either been done, or if they have, a method of 
> verification or transfer to other systems which are vastly different in 
> character.

How about setting up a grounded discharge rod for the secondary and 
measuring current both in the rod and at the base of the resonator 
simultaneously? A bridge configuration might show up any differences.
The basic idea is to find out whether the curents are equal so we
might have a basis for knowing whether the current measurement at
the base truly reflects spark current (IMO it should) and thereby
at least set one variable in concrete for further measurement. The 
reason I throw this open is that I just don't have the gear to do it 
myself.

Malcolm