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

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

Original poster: "Mark Hales by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <markhals-at-dircon.co.uk>

Ken.
I sympathise, I was there less than 2 weeks ago.
You don't give a length or diameter for your secondary, but here's how I
went from 9" streamers with no toroid, to 29" - 30" with a toroid.
My gap was too small / not enough gaps. I was using 3 -at- 0.5mm. I went to 7 -at-
1 or 2mm.
My cap was very lossy. I went to polypropelene mmc, smaller values per cap
and more of them. (finer tuning and a better value)
My coupling was a bit out, so suggestions of closer coupling between the
primary and secondary and raising the secondary were tried.
All of this resulted in a 3 fold increase in streamer length and allowed a
toroid to be used.
A good RF ground is a must... (I had one anyway.)
That's my experience... You mention one gap + saftey. If you mean "just 1
gap", try more. My new gap gave my biggest gain.
Cheers... Mark H.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 2:53 PM
Subject: First Attempt at Light goes down in flames!!!!! Whats WRONG!!!!


 > Original poster: "Ken Stevens by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<bluewaterdiver-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 >
 > 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
 >
 >