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RE: Aluminum wire in an NST



Original poster: "Loudner, Godfrey by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <gloudner-at-SINTE.EDU>

Hello Justin

They chose aluminum because it is cheaper than copper. The use of aluminum
wire in the primary has nothing to do with making the NST current limiting.
The design of any transformer is strongly affected by cost factor
considerations. Also tar is used in NSTs because it is a cheap alternative
to better material. Oil is better than tar, but an expensive leak proof
transformer tank and provisions for oil expansion would have to be provided.
Even if you depotted a NST with the intention of submerging the transformer
under oil, this would do little to help insulate the HV coils. The oil could
not penetrate the HV coils because they are heavily impregnated with epoxy.
But oil would help suppress external arcing and act as a heat sink. The one
thing not cheap about a NST is the price for a new one straight from an
authorized dealer. If you ever get to see the HV coils of pole pigs or x-ray
transformers, you will see what real transformer engineering is all about.

I read in the archives of the list that because aluminum was a paramagnetic
material, aluminum wire was dangerous to use on a tesla coil. But I have no
understanding of the nature of the dangers. Maybe its an inaccurate
statement.

Godfrey Loudner



> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Tesla list [SMTP:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent:	Wednesday, July 25, 2001 12:33 PM
> To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:	Aluminum wire in an NST
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> <Cydesho-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> I recently dismantled a 9kV 30mA Franceformer that I got my hands on. It
> was 
> in pretty bad condition, so I decided to just take everything apart to
> just 
> see what some of the innner workings were like. I was a bit surprised to
> find 
> that the primary windings on the transformer were made of enameled
> aluminum 
> wire. Is this some sort of alternative to using magnetic laminations in a 
> transformer for current limiting? Would this aluminum wire have any
> practical 
> use in Tesla coiling?
>                                             Justin
> 
>