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Registered Member #1180
Joined: Mon Dec 17 2007, 12:26AM
Location: Nope
Posts: 28
If you look at my avatar you will see my tesla coil blue print, but the problem is my spark gap never reaches breakdown voltage, no matter how close the terminals are, what the devil is going wrong?
(ps. all the connections and stats are right on the money)
Registered Member #690
Joined: Tue May 08 2007, 03:47AM
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 616
I think if all connections and stats were right on the money, it would work. Do you have anything a little more detailed than your avatar (pics, specifics, etc.)? That schematic, with proper components, is fine, but theres obviously something more than that if its not working.
Are you sure you don't have a bad power supply (can you draw arcs form the transformer only, w/out a tesla coil attached)? A shorted capacitor may cause this as well.
Registered Member #1180
Joined: Mon Dec 17 2007, 12:26AM
Location: Nope
Posts: 28
no, I figured out that it was a bad connection, but now only one of the capacitors in the circuit is operating, and it gets really hot, the gap makes arcs about a 64th inch long, and the transformer on its own makes about inch long sparks
Registered Member #690
Joined: Tue May 08 2007, 03:47AM
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 616
Well, If your transformer is STARTING an arc at about an inch, your capacitors don't have near enough voltage rating. If you can pull the arc to 1", thats different. A 1" starting arc means ~25kV.
I would try taking out all the caps, testing them for continuity (or lack of it), and if they passed I would put them in series and try the coil that way. Unless internal arcing hasn't already killed them.
EDIT: plus, ceramic disk caps are known to be pretty bad for TC use.
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
ceramic disc capacitors cannot take the rapid discharge and will fail quickly. Very few capacitors are built to withstand such abuses.... However, polyfilm MMC's from CDE - the 942C series of capacitors are super well built. If you have the money these capacitors are very coilers dream :)
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parallel capacitor troubles
