Welcome
Username or Email:

Password:


Missing Code




[ ]
[ ]
Online
  • Guests: 30
  • Members: 0
  • Newest Member: omjtest
  • Most ever online: 396
    Guests: 396, Members: 0 on 12 Jan : 12:51
Members Birthdays:
One birthday today, congrats!
GrantX (34)


Next birthdays
03/29 GrantX (34)
03/30 Adam Horden (39)
03/30 Mr.Warwickshire (23)
Contact
If you need assistance, please send an email to forum at 4hv dot org. To ensure your email is not marked as spam, please include the phrase "4hv help" in the subject line. You can also find assistance via IRC, at irc.shadowworld.net, room #hvcomm.
Support 4hv.org!
Donate:
4hv.org is hosted on a dedicated server. Unfortunately, this server costs and we rely on the help of site members to keep 4hv.org running. Please consider donating. We will place your name on the thanks list and you'll be helping to keep 4hv.org alive and free for everyone. Members whose names appear in red bold have donated recently. Green bold denotes those who have recently donated to keep the server carbon neutral.


Special Thanks To:
  • Aaron Holmes
  • Aaron Wheeler
  • Adam Horden
  • Alan Scrimgeour
  • Andre
  • Andrew Haynes
  • Anonymous000
  • asabase
  • Austin Weil
  • barney
  • Barry
  • Bert Hickman
  • Bill Kukowski
  • Blitzorn
  • Brandon Paradelas
  • Bruce Bowling
  • BubeeMike
  • Byong Park
  • Cesiumsponge
  • Chris F.
  • Chris Hooper
  • Corey Worthington
  • Derek Woodroffe
  • Dalus
  • Dan Strother
  • Daniel Davis
  • Daniel Uhrenholt
  • datasheetarchive
  • Dave Billington
  • Dave Marshall
  • David F.
  • Dennis Rogers
  • drelectrix
  • Dr. John Gudenas
  • Dr. Spark
  • E.TexasTesla
  • eastvoltresearch
  • Eirik Taylor
  • Erik Dyakov
  • Erlend^SE
  • Finn Hammer
  • Firebug24k
  • GalliumMan
  • Gary Peterson
  • George Slade
  • GhostNull
  • Gordon Mcknight
  • Graham Armitage
  • Grant
  • GreySoul
  • Henry H
  • IamSmooth
  • In memory of Leo Powning
  • Jacob Cash
  • James Howells
  • James Pawson
  • Jeff Greenfield
  • Jeff Thomas
  • Jesse Frost
  • Jim Mitchell
  • jlr134
  • Joe Mastroianni
  • John Forcina
  • John Oberg
  • John Willcutt
  • Jon Newcomb
  • klugesmith
  • Leslie Wright
  • Lutz Hoffman
  • Mads Barnkob
  • Martin King
  • Mats Karlsson
  • Matt Gibson
  • Matthew Guidry
  • mbd
  • Michael D'Angelo
  • Mikkel
  • mileswaldron
  • mister_rf
  • Neil Foster
  • Nick de Smith
  • Nick Soroka
  • nicklenorp
  • Nik
  • Norman Stanley
  • Patrick Coleman
  • Paul Brodie
  • Paul Jordan
  • Paul Montgomery
  • Ped
  • Peter Krogen
  • Peter Terren
  • PhilGood
  • Richard Feldman
  • Robert Bush
  • Royce Bailey
  • Scott Fusare
  • Scott Newman
  • smiffy
  • Stella
  • Steven Busic
  • Steve Conner
  • Steve Jones
  • Steve Ward
  • Sulaiman
  • Thomas Coyle
  • Thomas A. Wallace
  • Thomas W
  • Timo
  • Torch
  • Ulf Jonsson
  • vasil
  • Vaxian
  • vladi mazzilli
  • wastehl
  • Weston
  • William Kim
  • William N.
  • William Stehl
  • Wesley Venis
The aforementioned have contributed financially to the continuing triumph of 4hv.org. They are deserving of my most heartfelt thanks.
Forums
4hv.org :: Forums :: Tesla Coils
« Previous topic | Next topic »   

At the assembly stage. Looking for feedback (no pun intended)

1 2 
Move Thread LAN_403
crashstudio
Tue Jun 09 2015, 02:00AM Print
crashstudio Registered Member #54484 Joined: Sun Feb 15 2015, 06:18PM
Location:
Posts: 46
Here it is. I've completed all the components and have begun assembly. Any feedback is greatly appreciated at this stage. I really just want to be sure I'm on the right track.
All pics are below including the schematic I'm following. I'm assuming the safest bet is to ground the NST to RF, not house. Also, before you warn me I am going to install a strike rail.
The NST is 15kv 60ma
The A/C filter circuit consists of an RFI EMI Tesla Filter 15 Amp's 115/250vac and 2 PFC caps from microwaves in parallel totaling 165uF. TeslaMap suggests 165uF for optimum PFC.
Capacitor measures 10.9nF - resonant cap for this NST is 10.6 (at the time I didn't know an LTR was better or I would have added more plates). It's constructed with 30 sheets of 8 X 10 polyethylene windows and 28 sheets of aluminum foil.
It will soon be replaced with an LTR MMC. I've already ordered 40 0.15uF, 2kV 942C20P15K-F caps and will be assembling 2 strings of 17 for a total of just over 17nF.
Toroid is 4" aluminum ducting with aluminum tape wrapped all around it and 8.5" pie pans bolted in the center. When I entered it's dimensions in TeslaMap it said the capacitance is 18.3pF
1433815258 54484 FT0 Tesla Coil Schematic



1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150512 212641

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150526 193310

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150526 193323

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150526 193338

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150607 230424

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150608 213028

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150607 230355

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150607 230341

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150607 230936

1433815702 54484 FT171609 20150607 230958
Back to top
Blackcurrant
Tue Jun 09 2015, 11:50AM
Blackcurrant Registered Member #2989 Joined: Sun Jul 11 2010, 12:01AM
Location: UK
Posts: 94
A few things I would look out for
Keep all the HV parts smooth, so there's less likely to be any unwanted break out
you may want to put some plastic between coils, it might flash over near the bottom part
make sure the tunings ok take your time over this bit
put a sharp breakout point on the top so you know were it should be sparking from
If there's any small fires turn it off quick :)
Back to top
Graham Armitage
Tue Jun 09 2015, 12:07PM
Graham Armitage Registered Member #6038 Joined: Mon Aug 06 2012, 11:31AM
Location: Salado, TX
Posts: 248
This build looks good. Nice construction too. I love the NST protection features - you will be happy you have those in place. I learned the hard way frown With regards to the ground, I always grounded the secondary to a dedicated RF ground, but kept he NST grounded to the house ground. I would worry about ground loops, but I am no expert. One of the best spark gaps I ever built was a forced air quenched gap. It worked really well. Fast quenching really helps. That said, I wonder if the length of copper tubing will allow the primary spark to travel along its length for too long before being extinguished? How do you adjust the spark gap for max voltage?
Back to top
crashstudio
Tue Jun 09 2015, 10:09PM
crashstudio Registered Member #54484 Joined: Sun Feb 15 2015, 06:18PM
Location:
Posts: 46
Graham Armitage wrote ...

This build looks good. Nice construction too. I love the NST protection features - you will be happy you have those in place. I learned the hard way frown With regards to the ground, I always grounded the secondary to a dedicated RF ground, but kept he NST grounded to the house ground. I would worry about ground loops, but I am no expert. One of the best spark gaps I ever built was a forced air quenched gap. It worked really well. Fast quenching really helps. That said, I wonder if the length of copper tubing will allow the primary spark to travel along its length for too long before being extinguished? How do you adjust the spark gap for max voltage?

Each copper pipe is 4 1/4" long. I got the design from youtube and the guy showed it in action in a later video, seemed to work great. The gap between each one is 1/32", I got that from a couple different coilers. As far as adjusting the gap, I can change it but it would take a good amount of time so I'm just hoping it will work the way it is. Some day I'm going to design one that can be adjusted by turning a screw.
As far as the NST grounding I had the same concern, you're probably right. I'll just change it to mains ground. Thank you, and thanks for the compliment.
Back to top
crashstudio
Tue Jun 09 2015, 10:13PM
crashstudio Registered Member #54484 Joined: Sun Feb 15 2015, 06:18PM
Location:
Posts: 46
Blackcurrant wrote ...

A few things I would look out for
Keep all the HV parts smooth, so there's less likely to be any unwanted break out
you may want to put some plastic between coils, it might flash over near the bottom part
make sure the tunings ok take your time over this bit
put a sharp breakout point on the top so you know were it should be sparking from
If there's any small fires turn it off quick :)

Thanks. You mean plastic between the bottom of the secondary and primary right?
Back to top
Hazmatt_(The Underdog)
Wed Jun 10 2015, 03:50AM
Hazmatt_(The Underdog) Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735
Why so much primary?

You should have 5-10 turns of primary and that's it.
Find the resonant freq. of your system at turn 5-7, and adjust your secondary accordingly.

Remember, every excess inch of primary, AND HOOKUP is LOSS.
Back to top
Blackcurrant
Wed Jun 10 2015, 07:05PM
Blackcurrant Registered Member #2989 Joined: Sun Jul 11 2010, 12:01AM
Location: UK
Posts: 94
yes, like a plastic tube to stop it jumping from the inner primary coil to the secondary. It might not happen but it does look close to me.
If your gap fails to fire, try a re-tune or link out one of the gaps.

Have you thought of a safe way to discharge the caps? If something fails there could still be charge in them, trust nothing!
Also the secondary coil may hold a bit of static after use

it'll be fun, good luck
Back to top
Dr. H.
Wed Jun 10 2015, 07:56PM
Dr. H. Registered Member #931 Joined: Mon Jul 30 2007, 05:25PM
Location: Bulgaria
Posts: 486
Hi there,

I am a bit worried about the terry filter -did you remove the unnecessary copper pads from the board ? On some of those boards the distance between them is really small (for easier soldering) and might flash over.

Cheers smile
Back to top
crashstudio
Thu Jun 11 2015, 02:52AM
crashstudio Registered Member #54484 Joined: Sun Feb 15 2015, 06:18PM
Location:
Posts: 46
Dr. H... the board is blank. It was made primarily for a Terry filter. In this pic its not even complete. I'll post a new one
Back to top
Hazmatt_(The Underdog)
Thu Jun 11 2015, 02:53AM
Hazmatt_(The Underdog) Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735
Some of the Vero-board is completely copperless, and this one looks to be that.

I'm a bit concerned about your 630V caps, I think they're going to die.
You might want to try to run your filter with some high voltage for a short while, turn off, and see if the caps are hot.
Back to top
1 2 

Moderator(s): Chris Russell, Noelle, Alex, Tesladownunder, Dave Marshall, Dave Billington, Bjørn, Steve Conner, Wolfram, Kizmo, Mads Barnkob

Go to:

Powered by e107 Forum System
 
Legal Information
This site is powered by e107, which is released under the GNU GPL License. All work on this site, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 License. By submitting any information to this site, you agree that anything submitted will be so licensed. Please read our Disclaimer and Policies page for information on your rights and responsibilities regarding this site.