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Re: [TCML] Safely Grounding a Tesla Coil



Hi Jim,

Could you explain the concept of "counterpoise" for me or provide a link to some documentation? I've never heard of anything like it...

Thanks btw,
Brandon

On Feb 5, 2010, at 9:39 PM, jimlux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Brandon Hendershot wrote:
Hi all,
I know that it's said that you need an entirely seperate ground rod when opperating tesla coils because the high voltage grounding through the house wiring is extremely dangerous to anything plugged into any other grounded outlet on the same circuit.


Not precisely..
You need a separate RF return for the coil, be it a counterpoise, good grounding system, etc. The reason you don't want it interconnected too well with the "house ground" is that it will propagate HV transients into your house wiring system (by capacitive and inductive coupling).. those transients wreak havoc on most consumer electronics.

I wouldn't say "extremely dangerous".. I'd reserve that for something like juggling chain saws.



But what if you attached the coils
ground wire directly to the ground rod. It would be bypassing the house wiring, so the high voltage won't be running by any precious electronics inside the house. It shouldn't be running back up into the house right?

Exactly.. But there is a problem because at some point, you need to bond to the "green wire ground" at least for things that are plugged in or that you might touch (e.g. equipment cases).

I'm trying to be minimalistic so I don't have to try to pound down a ground rod of my own.

Think counterpoise.. a big conductive sheet.. chicken wire works well. A circle that has radius = the height of the top load above it.


Hook that to the bottom of your secondary.
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