Personally I would only use the acrylic if you want to stop people from touching the primary - which is normally only an issue on small coils that people actually have the guts to get close to.
The strike rail will do a great job of preventing primary strikes on it's own. Just be sure to leave half to one inch gap in it to prevent it from acting like a shorted turn. Save that nice sheet for something more useful.
If it's a regular SGTC a properly made safety gap with a grounded centre post may also help prevent damage from an inadvertent primary strike, but really in 20 years of coiling and quite a few coils I have never seen the coil arc past the strike rail to the primary.
Cheers!
Greg.
-------- Original message --------From: Steve White <steve.white1@xxxxxxxxx> Date: 3/9/18 1:50 am (GMT+10:00) To: Tesla Coil List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [TCML] Acrylic sheet for primary coil insulator
I am considering adding an acrylic sheet as a top cover for my primary coil to minimize primary strikes. I never would have considered such a thing because of the expense but I recently acquired a large sheet of 5/16" acrylic sheet for nothing, so that idea has now returned. My question concerns the strike rail. Should I install one with this cover or not? Here are my options as I see them:
1. No strike rail
2. Strike rail in the normal position on top of the acrylic sheet
3. Strike rail under the acrylic sheet
My concern with number 1 and 3 is that if a streamer finds its way around and under the acrylic sheet, the streamer may melt or burn a portion of the acrylic. I have heard of at least one coiler that has installed such an acrylic sheet and I recall that he placed the strike rail under the sheet. I forgot the link.
Steve White
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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