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TeslaCoil grounding

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LAN_403

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Wed Jul 25 2012, 11:32AM

Registered Member #5171 Joined: Tue Jun 05 2012, 11:32AM
Location:
Posts: 67

Hello everyone.
Thanks for the help,
i've read your topic about the grounding, but, how did you solve the problem in the end?
I'm not really sure if i can use the mains ground without any risk..
If i can, could you tell me if there is a way to test if the ground is ok?
thanks.

HV Enthusiast

Wed Jul 25 2012, 01:28PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

With that SSTC, you should have no problem whatsoever running your secondary ground to your outlet ground.

zzz_julian_zzz

Thu Jul 26 2012, 02:51AM

Registered Member #3964 Joined: Thu Jun 23 2011, 03:23AM
Location: Valenzuela City
Posts: 332

Actually, my first SSTC used a seperate floating ground with just a large aluminum plate/sheet. And not even using an EARTH GROUND. The perfomance was increased when I earth ground it, dont have ground rod since my SSTC is pretty small =) 10*3 inch sec. but when I changed to DRSSTC, I was required to earth it coz my IGBT explodes!

I believe the mains grounds are very high impedance since the conductor to earth ground is just the (cement and few scaffoldings)- if possible, check your building grounding installation method (check if there are intended wires for mains grounding directly to earth) .
Kindly double check your locations wiring from your electric distributor, sometimes there are countries that has 240V L-G , so the other line is automatically the mains ground(NEUTRAL) and other phase is the "HOT". WHile some other country uses 240 Line to Line (L-L) and 0(ground) to one phase is half the voltage or 120v.

You can just use mains ground since SSTC are not massive rf ground carrier.

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Thu Jul 26 2012, 11:30AM

Registered Member #5171 Joined: Tue Jun 05 2012, 11:32AM
Location:
Posts: 67

My country power distribution is 2 phases
2 HOT 120v each.

Now the thing is, since if i turn on the tc with no grounding.. i risk electric devices to break in my home (?right?), how can i test the mains ground before connecting the tc to it?

Steve Conner

Thu Jul 26 2012, 12:30PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

If you turn on the TC and none of your "electric devices break" then the mains ground is OK

I used to run my DRSSTC in the living room of my 3rd floor apartment, quite close to the computer and stereo system. I ran a long wire from the secondary base to the ground point of the electrical service entrance, and avoided ground arcs.

However, I now connect the secondary base to mains ground, and use an EMI filter to ensure that live, neutral and ground all end up at the same RF potential.

Unleashed

Thu Jul 26 2012, 12:30PM

Registered Member #5171 Joined: Tue Jun 05 2012, 11:32AM
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Posts: 67

i can't take such a risk lol

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Thu Jul 26 2012, 06:43PM

Registered Member #5171 Joined: Tue Jun 05 2012, 11:32AM
Location:
Posts: 67

Hello everyone.
I'm thinking about a simple test to see if my outlet is grounded.
How about, i take a multimeter and set it on AC mode, then i try measure between the 2 prongs to the central earth one.
If i can read a voltage... that means i have ground right?

EDIT

I've just did it, since i have two phases(old italian standard)
I could measure
Across the two prongs 206V
across central prong and the other two, around 103-104V

That means i have a grounding?

HV Enthusiast

Thu Jul 26 2012, 06:53PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Generally, at least here in the US, electrical ground is tied directly to the plumbing within the house although new electrical code doesn't allow this and requires use of a dedicated ground rod. But in either case, if you set multimeter to ohms and measure from the outlet ground to a local pipe, then it should buzz out short if its a ground.

Unleashed

Thu Jul 26 2012, 06:56PM

Registered Member #5171 Joined: Tue Jun 05 2012, 11:32AM
Location:
Posts: 67

Unfortunately, my pipes are all made of plastic.

Anyway, could you answer to this please?

wrote ...
I've just did it, since i have two phases(old italian standard)
I could measure
Across the two prongs 206V
across central prong and the other two, around 103-104V

That means i have a grounding?

Sigurthr

Thu Jul 26 2012, 11:46PM

Registered Member #4463 Joined: Wed Apr 18 2012, 08:08AM
Location: MI's Upper Peninsula
Posts: 597

That only means your neutral line is connected, it doesn't check to see if the neutral is connected to ground or not.

Two phase + ground = 4 conductors, with 3 conductors the neutral line is often tired to ground at the house electrical box, but using the neutral as ground is unwise.

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