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Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
After the success of my 6" tesla coil system - 82" sparks at 2.2 kVA , I decided to go ahead with a 8" tesla coil project. I was able to get 8 lbs of 23 AWG teflon coated wire for a good price and some 8" SDR 35 sewer pipe. Well, I'm planning on wrapping 1800 turns on this big guy - and hopefully run bigger power through it. I haven't had the opportunity to try out my 14.4kV PT yet - I think its time to try it out!
Anyways, cheers Have a happy and safe XMAS and a happy new year!
Banned on 3/17/2009. Registered Member #487
Joined: Sun Jul 09 2006, 01:22AM
Location:
Posts: 617
How much did the sewer pipe cost you? I need to get some as well and ive found a place online that sells pvc ventilation pipe. Any size up to 24 inches diameter but if there's something cheaper out there.
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
4 meter length of 8.25" SDR 35 - heavy stuff is like $40 USD w/ taxes here - not bad. End caps are $18 USD each because they specialized with rubber seals.
Registered Member #1589
Joined: Sun Jul 13 2008, 06:40PM
Location:
Posts: 70
Interesting output for input, how exactly did you do that again?
In my 8" coil, Locke tool and supply, heating and air section, I got 10' of sch 20 8" PVC pipe for ~$22USD. Endcaps were $11, but I made them out of MDF instead.
I'm looking at getting some 24" PVC soon, any known good suppliers since we're talking about pipe? (Not to hijack your thread.)
I'm looking forward to this as well if you're getting 82" from 2.2kva, which I still want to know how you got.
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
Well here is what I used. Maybe you could find the same materials and buy them. First off I used thin walled 6" PVC pipe - white and then using 27 AWG wire I wrapped 1950 turns onto the pipe. My primary was made from 75 ft worth of copper tubing with 1 inch spacing between turns. My primary capacitor is 64 nF running 12 kV 60mA X 4 in parallel. Two transformers were HPF types - drawing only 360 VA - 370VA peak, while the others were NPF's drawing 720-770 VA under stress. Total draw from the mains was 18.5 A on 120V. I used a fluke current clamp for precise measurements. Changing the top load size and taping out I received my longest sparks at turn 12. The output was measured at 82" - I have had larger berserk streamers when I widen the gap to 17 kV firing voltage. The current input on the primary side climbs to 19.25 A and the output streamer length increase by 5 inches!
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
Here is my 6" SGTC! This is a test just to see how far I can push this coil before I upgrade to my 8.25" diameter X 54" tall secondary....
Specs:
6" white PVC secondary 1980 turns of 27AWG single build magnet wire 10 turns of 1/2" copper tube 0.092 uF 45 kVDC rated MMC bank 6 - 12 kV 60mA NST units in parallel for 360mA!! ~ honestly it should be PIG or a PT but the devil took me. ;) video is below via Youtube link please excuse the crappy quality of the video.
Registered Member #1228
Joined: Tue Jan 15 2008, 01:08AM
Location: Curitiba, Brazil
Posts: 162
I believe that if you use a tube with larger diameter, the inductance is used for the same wire will be higher, but as you use a wire with a thickness less than it was before, can continue the same thing. I did a similar experiment, see the data:
First Coil 4" tube 60cm long 24 AWG 1082 turns 3kW power ----> 1M long sparks
Second Coil 8" tube 60cm long 24AWG 1082 turns 3kW Power -------> 2.1M long sparks
Registered Member #1127
Joined: Mon Nov 19 2007, 12:08AM
Location:
Posts: 139
Inductance effects streamer length
Absolutely - I couldn't agree more.
While I am using 23 AWG instead of 27 AWG for my secondary I will be still have 20 mH more inductance than my 6" secondary. I should get fairly long streamers provided that I get my power supply hooked to the right amount of power.
Registered Member #1911
Joined: Mon Jan 05 2009, 06:30PM
Location: Salem, Oregon, USA
Posts: 165
MOT_man wrote ...
Inductance effects streamer length
Absolutely - I couldn't agree more.
While I am using 23 AWG instead of 27 AWG for my secondary I will be still have 20 mH more inductance than my 6" secondary. I should get fairly long streamers provided that I get my power supply hooked to the right amount of power.
When you're dealing with a power of this magnitude, you need a VERY large gauge of wire compared to what people use for the little 5kV 30mA transformers. For small Tesla coils, people use up to 42AWG wire for their secondaries! I mean, seriously, who needs that kind of inductance? The useful thing is that, when winding something that small, you know that your coil isn't going to just have a bunch of racing sparks because there's so little amperage running through the secondary and the voltage isn't ridiculous, either.
I say that it's a good idea to use something larger than 24AWG for a coil like yours. If you're using a potential transformer, your secondary needs to be wound with something a bit more stout. No matter what, with a Tesla coil you're always swapping around performance/lifespan.
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8" diameter BIG Tesla coil project
