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Re: Paper Capacitors



Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >From i541771-at-imsday-dot-comWed Sep  4 22:29:18 1996
> Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 19:33:24 +0000
> From: Chris Singletary <i541771-at-imsday-dot-com>
> Reply to: single-at-imsday-dot-com
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Paper Capacitors
> 
> In defence of the bottles used by Tesla, they were perfect for adding
> and subtracting capacitance to "fine tune" his coil and to study the
> difference capacitance / inductance had on his circuits. Show me an
> easier way to add and subtract capacitance in minor increments. It
> was and is cheaper to make than  "store" bought caps and less time
> consuming than making other types. He did however also use plate glass
> capacitors. Pat No. 567,818 Fig. 2 with an electrolyte solution as
> well. Also.. chalk up one for doing it the historical way. One note:
> You need to pick a good champaine bottle that is free of air bubbles.



Tesla rapidly disgarded the first bottles in his caps and replaced the 
lot with Manitou Springs Water bottles.  These were a potash glass bottle 
available in quantity from the nearby town of Manitou Springs, famous for 
its mineral waters.  I think you are confusing his use of four champagne 
bottles for the standoff insulators from the antenna mast to the wooden 
tower.  He noted that these limited his antenna voltage severely. (Arcing 
about 18 inch arcs.)  The wooden mast frame was torn down after only a 
month or so and the guy-wired mast and shield were used from October 1899 
to January 1900.  Tesla noted that with this final new arrangement, 
nearly 1 million volts could be placed on the antenna without arcing to 
the guywires.  (please note that 1 million volts will not yield a 128 
foot arc so often heard in the fantasy lore!!)

Richard Hull, TCBOR

> 
> Chris Singletary
> Believe that you CAN accomplish the impossible and you shall.
> ------------------------------------------------------
> >From i541771-at-imsday-dot-comWed Sep  4 22:30:02 1996
> Date: Wed, 4 Sep 1996 19:45:31 +0000
> From: Chris Singletary <i541771-at-imsday-dot-com>
> Reply to: single-at-imsday-dot-com
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Salt water caps, was earth resonance
> 
> I can't believe you guys neglect to add the fact that NOTHING is as
> good for making the minor increments he wanted to research as
> "bottle" caps! Add a little more salt water and the bottle sinks
> alittle more and WALAH a little more capacitance! Also.. because the
> salt water was a liquid it is more forgiving that
> milar/polyeurathane/etc. caps today. I mean come on.. he was
> experimenting. If he blew a hole in a anything other THAN a liquid
> filled cap then both money and effort just got wasted. Alot of
> guys here are new to the field and bottle caps are cheap and so what
> if one or two has a dielectric breakdown?

Tesla had a constant problem with the "bottles giving way" as he tried to 
up his voltage input in July through September 1899.  The manitou bottle 
helped a lot but never really worked perfectly.  I have noted his wiring 
arrangment on the caps.  (published in my book) and he could adjust to 
just a 1000pf with mere external wire connects.  No need to fart with the 
water levels other than to replace water lost through evaporation. (dry 
climate).

Still, I would not want to go fishin' around in one of those big zinc 
lined wooden tank cases for broken shards of glass under salt water.  
Talk about rubbing salt in an open wound....... Can you say scream?

Richard Hull, TCBOR
> 
> Chris Singletary
> member - TCBA
> Believe that you CAN accomplish the impossible and you shall.