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Tigeris

Sun Nov 02 2008, 09:09PM

Registered Member #1656 Joined: Wed Aug 27 2008, 03:28PM
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 53

Hi all again. I almost have my tesla coil working but i have a couple questions. I have my secondary coil earth grounded and my transformer house grounded. I will be testing it out side. But my main worry is if i turn it on will it damage anything in my house? I have a lot of high end electronics, PC's, TV's and what not. I know there is a risk of frying something in side...but what can i do to prevent that? And even though im firing it outside, will it hurt anything in side from the RF?

Mads Barnkob

Sun Nov 02 2008, 09:49PM

Registered Member #1403 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968

You could search for some lists of frequency spectrums, and your working frequency with its 1st and 2nd harmonics might be able to produce enough noise to interfer.

I have this problem in my apartment, my VTTC is working at 300kHz which is about in the middle of the spectrum used by DSL modems downstream. So my router will loose connection to my ISP just as i turn it on, even had to reset its settings one day as it got all weird and could no longer recieve an IP. This all happends on a distance of 5 meters, my VTTC got an estimated 200-300W output. Its grounded to my house installation.

But that is also the only electronics I had trouble with, frequnecies on my cellphone, laptop, stationary, DSLR, wifi, solderiron, scope etc, never had any effect on those, and its all been as close as 0.5 to 1.5 meters from the coil.

MRacerxdl

Sun Nov 02 2008, 11:04PM

Registered Member #989 Joined: Sat Sept 08 2007, 02:15AM
Location: SÃ£o Paulo, Brazil
Posts: 476

I runned all times my DRSSTC with 1,5 meter away from my computer, and it does 600W with 60cm sparks.

The only thing that is worsed here is running a SSTC in CW Mode, that gets my Wireless Router (and Internet Router builtin) down for a while after turning off the coil.

But from other things, I never have any problem with that.

Dylan

Mon Nov 03 2008, 12:32AM

Registered Member #1024 Joined: Sun Sept 23 2007, 10:56AM
Location: Northern NSW, Australia
Posts: 95

And on the flip side, I have lost two computers and an ADSL modem from one single run of my DRSSTC in the study.
I had it cranked right up screaming four foot medusa head streamers into the roof/walls/steel shelves, great fun, but terminal for my computers.Never again.

I too still run my coils inside, in the study next to all my computer gear, but I am now very conservative about how high I turn em up.
As far as RFI, I concurr with the previous posts, ADSL routers seem to drop out a lot, but I've neevr noticed any glitches in other gear, apart from the radio.

I dont think you will get anyone to offer any guarentees that you will be ok.
But running outdoors with a good secondary base (and strike rail? ) seperate RF earth, well , thats how we all do it :), you should be right :) .

teslacoolguy

Mon Nov 03 2008, 03:01AM

Registered Member #1107 Joined: Thu Nov 08 2007, 10:09PM
Location:
Posts: 792

I ran a half bridge cw sstc about 3 feet away from my lcd monitor and i had severe interference causing a rippleing effect going up my screen so i shut it off quickly so i wouldn't damage anything.

Myke

Mon Nov 03 2008, 03:13AM

Registered Member #540 Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969

I don't think turning it off will do anything to prevent it from damaging it though. If there is enough interference to damage it while it's on, it's possible that it's enough to damage it when it's off.

Arcstarter

Mon Nov 03 2008, 06:25AM

Registered Member #1225 Joined: Sat Jan 12 2008, 01:24AM
Location: Beaumont, Texas, USA
Posts: 2253

I ran my 4 inch coil with about 1 foot to 1 and a half foot sparks outside and it messed up all three of my televisions inside, but no permanent damage. It just interfered with cable. Also once i was running my 811a vttc and my brother was playing the xbox360 which was about 4-5 feet away and buttons started to be pressed that he didn't press(it is late right now, i cannot think of any other way to put it :P). Also when i was running my 811a vttc it cause ALOT of interference one time because the secondary was ruined and had a few places where the wire had disconnected(i did not know because i stupidly covered in tape) and it set of the burglar alarm even though it was on the complete other side of my house. It also messed up the computer and internet, but once again no permanent damage. It made my computer of some files up and it kept making that noise that it makes when it finds a device in the usb port. And with the internet, all i did was reset the modem. But i suppose if you are outside everything will be ok :P.

Sorry that was a little longer than i wanted it to be but i started to babble and i am too freakin lazy to pick and chose what i should delete..

Fraggle

Mon Nov 03 2008, 08:32PM

Registered Member #1526 Joined: Mon Jun 09 2008, 12:56AM
Location: UK
Posts: 216

When I use my coil inside at full power it interferes with the tv and kicks my modem offline unless I unplug the cable (it`s long). On one occasion it knackered the ethernet card. My surround amp behaves erratically now as well and I suspect the coil is to blame.
I only use it outdoors now.

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