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RE: uses for a Tesla Coil?



Original poster: "Vanderputten, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <gvp-at-pvaintl-dot-com>

To those outside the coil community, I like to describe my coils as "high
voltage sculpture". A little pretentious, perhaps, but like many coilers, I
pay attention to form and aesthetics.

I remember in the late 1950's when I submitted a coil in a science fair, I
was questioned by one judge, a physicist, as to the value of such a device
and its relevance in the fair (which was focused on the
hysteric-post-Sputnik march toward applied sciences), I described it as a
'device used to demonstrate the effects of high voltage and high frequency
electricity'. She was not impressed. 'Then it's just a clever toy, isn't
it.", she replied. However, the other four judges were so wowed by its
dramatic Frankensteinian display and noise and also by the fact that a
scrawny pimply-faced 13 year old kid could built it on his own from
apparently junk yard parts - I was awarded first place! To this day I have
always felt that the first judge was correct and that there were other
projects there more deserving of top honors. I also learned that in science
fairs, showmanship counts. 

Beyond entertainment and the self-gratification they bring to the developer,
I still know of no significant applications other than those 'plasma globes'
and the clever Absolute Vodka beer displays in bars - they provide the
technology for the lava lamps of the 1990's.

Gary





 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent:	Thursday, May 23, 2002 12:20 AM
To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject:	Re: uses for a Tesla Coil?

Original poster: "Ben McMillen by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<spoonman534-at-yahoo-dot-com>

 I would go with the originally intended use (wireless
power transmission) .. and possibly a demonstration (I
believe this is called the quarter wave test... a plate is
used to 'recieve' power from the coil.. correct me if I'm
wrong.. ;) ) 

I also remember hearing that it was used as a power source
for particle accelerators.. 

Coiling In Pittsburgh
Ben McMillen

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
> Original poster: "Justin Hays by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pyrotrons2000-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> 
> Unfortunately, there are no uses for a Tesla Coil.
> Period. That is,
> if you define a Tesla coil as a resonant air core high Q
> transformer
> used with a spark gap and capacitor to make HVRF.
> (similar to an
> encyclopedia definition).
> 
> The only useful thing I've done with it is demonstrate it
> to kids,
> they love it. I did a presentation at the local college
> last week for
> a "SCI TEK FOR KIDS" get-together field day thing...they
> really got a
> kick out of it.
> 
> That's about the only use I can think of, these things
> are MADE for
> people (esp. kids) to look at and say "cool".
> 
> I suggest making something up, I guarantee you they won't
> know the
> difference if you do it right.
> 
> Take care,
> 
> Justin Hays
> KC5PNP
> Email: justin-at-hvguy-dot-com
> Website: www.hvguy-dot-com
> 
> 
>