Re: First Attempt at Light goes down in flames!!!!! Whats WRONG!!!!

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <network-at-neXband-dot-com>

    That sounds like my first attempt at building a coil.  What I found to
be wrong with mine was that I had connected my tank circuit to the outer
turn of the primary and tapped a few turns in. <--What was I thinking!!!
After I connected to the first inner turn and tuned, it helped ALOT!  Then
I fried my NST:(  After that I built the Greg Hunter MOT supply.  Major
improvement over the NST.  All this time I wasn't getting any impressive
break-outs.  I then built the Greg Hunter rotary spark gap from a angle
grinder.  This addition really made my coil rock!  The static gap that I
was using was just not quenching and was arcing.

Did you have the bottom of the secondary grounded?  I forgot this not to
long ago and got NO output.

Hope this helps,
Gregg Adams



You wrote:

 >Original poster: "Ken Stevens by way of Terry Fritz "
 >
 >OK, I am officially bummed!!!!!!
 >
 >I was sick all weekend and didn't get to work on my coil. So here I am,
 >the day before Halloween and it looks like I'll be without coil!!!! :o(
 >
 >I have been following Greg Hunters Twin MOT design. My Primary is 14
 >turns (tapped at 6) of .25 copper tubing 30 degree angle inverted cone.
 >Secondary is 940 turns of 22ga. I have a Geek Group MMC, .055 uF. A pair
 >of static gaps, one safety and one main. I have the voltage doubler
 >board and a pair of MOTs. The top load is a 4" drier duct toroid 27"
 >around.
 >
 >First attempt just set off the Main Gap without any sparks. OK, widen
 >the gap a turn.
 >
 >This time I notice sparks in the MMC. Found an end lead had broken loose
 >and was arcing. Right arc, wrong place!!! Fixed that and then tried
 >again.
 >
 >This time there was arcing on the other side of the MMC... AND
 >FLAMES!!!!! The last cap had arced to the bolt holding the board down.
 >It arced out the side of the cap, blowing a hole in the side!!! Weird!!!
 >OK, have extras, replaced it and insulated it.
 >
 >Try it again. Well, now all it's doing is either buzzing, like a high
 >tension line, but no gaps arcing and no sparks, or if I adjust the gaps
 >down slightly they arc, but no sparks? What's the deal?
 >
 >I tried changing the tap point. Not much change, and no sparks. Took off
 >the torroid and fan out a wire... No go. All thru this, it either arcs
 >the gaps only or buzzes like a high tension line.
 >
 >I tried no doubler, no ballast cap, narrowed the gaps, widened the gaps.
 >ANY combonation I could think of, I tried!!! I finally tried to coax it
 >with a grounded wire near the secondary output, but to no avail. What am
 >I missing???
 >
 >I wasn't hoping for much, but nothing is hard to deal with after all
 >this effort!!!! And trying to get it ready for tomorrow... I was looking
 >forward to that!!!!!
 >
 >Anyone have a clue for me?? I can supply pics if you think it'll help.
 >
 >Anything is greatly appreciated.
 >
 >Darn I was hoping for a show for Halloween... well, theirs always
 >Christmas!!!
 >
 >Ken Stevens