Pick up a little info on antenna systems, more specifically 1/4 wave
and half wave antennas. This is a highly efficient ground setup,
but takes some area for proper operation. Probably more effective
than a single ground rod for high frequency coil operation.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brandon Hendershot" <brandonhendershot@xxxxxxxxx
>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 12:10 PM
Subject: 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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