Re: does anybody really read these?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: does anybody really read these?
From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 08:54:20 -0800
Subscriber: bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com Fri Jan 17 22:43:22 1997
Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subscriber: s002cgs-at-discover.wright.edu Thu Jan 16 22:54:36 1997
> Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 15:07:21 -0500
> From: CURTIS SANDOVAL <s002cgs-at-discover.wright.edu>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: does anybody really read these?
> 
> Friends, coilers, countrymen,
> 
>   Have a few questions to toss out;
> 
>   First, when plating a tyre form for a toroid, how pronounced an effect
> do you think it would be if the tyre was steel-belted or otherwise metal
> enforced?  Theoretically it could induct and set up some sort of EM
> interference, right?

I think most of the plated toroid discussion was about using an
innertube, not the tire itself. A foil-wrapped tire would work (a little
heavy maybe). The type doesn't matter, since its at the top of the coil
and rather far-removed from the primary EM field.

> 
>   Second, (re: frequencies below 50 Hz) Okay, so how big would the coil
> need to be?  Have been working on this one for quite some time myself,
> and i cannot seem to get the equations to give me a reasonable answer.
> Am thinking somewhere in the 8 Hz range, anybody give me some
> sizes/equations??  Also, i will be cautious, as it seems that the lower
> the frequency the greater the electrocution danger...

Thats because at these low frequencies, the inductances and capacitances
get unreasonably large. Most coils operate in the 80 - 500 kHz range.
What are you thinking of doing that requires 50 or 8 Hz?

> 
>   Third, what about filling an old lead-acid battery or similar device
> with oil or water and using as a capacitor??  They are already designed
> for maximum internal surface area and high amperages...  Will this
> work?? (Happen to have a few i was thinking about using...)

No.

> 
>   Fourth, what works best for a spark gapper??  Do you set a gap such
> that the spark can only jump when it has sufficient voltage, or is the
> motor/wheel setup more reliable.  Have a friend that uses a blender
> motor and some nails in a box that seems to work (if you think 'mix' is
> cool, check out 'frappe'...), but it would seem that there would be
> something better out there.  Also, what about car ignition systems,
> points/plugs or electronic??  8 sparks/rev, 10000rpm...
> 

 The most effective, for low to medium power systems, is the Richard
Quick style gap which uses 6" diameter PVC, some pieces of 2" copper
pipe, and a boxer fan. Check out Tesla Site at:

      ftp://nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/electrical/tesla/ 

> Enough of the rookie questions...
> 
> cgs