Tesla Coil Help!! Got only 3 days left to complete my project, plsss help / Tesla Coils / Forums

Forums

4hv.org :: Forums :: Tesla Coils

« Previous topic | Next topic »

Tesla Coil Help!! Got only 3 days left to complete my project, plsss help

first previous 4 5 6 7 next

Move Thread

LAN_403

Steve Conner

Tue Mar 24 2009, 01:33PM

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

It's common knowledge that tall and skinny coils perform poorly, because the high aspect ratio leads to poor coupling. In simple terms, a fat secondary coil can "absorb" more of the primary's magnetic field than a thin one.

It should still produce some kind of sparks, though, so if you can't be bothered to make a fatter secondary coil, you might as well just use the one you have.

I prefer an aspect ratio of 3:1.

TheBoozer

Tue Mar 24 2009, 10:01PM

Registered Member #1535 Joined: Wed Jun 11 2008, 11:37PM
Location: Northeastern Pennsylvania - USA
Posts: 117

Steve certainly put it into better words than I could come up with at the time.

A 90 degree helix primary may offer better coupling for such a tall secondary. Two of my table top Tesla coils use 2.375 diameter secondaries and I use real right coupling on them without any troublesome racing sparks.

Winding secondaries by hand wore my hands out. I'de certainly make an attempt to use the one you made, I didn't realize it was already wound... My first few secondaries were wound by hand, but no more... :)

P.S. Secondary height versus coupling has only a fractional bearing on frequency. Wire length is the major contributor to frequency.

ElectricalEngg.

Wed Mar 25 2009, 04:01AM

Registered Member #1946 Joined: Sat Jan 31 2009, 11:37AM
Location: India
Posts: 43

Steve McConner wrote ...

It's common knowledge that tall and skinny coils perform poorly, because the high aspect ratio leads to poor coupling. In simple terms, a fat secondary coil can "absorb" more of the primary's magnetic field than a thin one.

It should still produce some kind of sparks, though, so if you can't be bothered to make a fatter secondary coil, you might as well just use the one you have.

I prefer an aspect ratio of 3:1.

I am not at all looking for long sparks while operating in tech fest
I will do that when I learn more and build more different types of Tesla coils(I am in love with them now):-p

would mine give sparks of say 3 to 4 inches??
thats all I need curently
and would there be enough Rf magnetic field to light up a fluorescent tube??

TheBoozer wrote ...

Steve certainly put it into better words than I could come up with at the time.

A 90 degree helix primary may offer better coupling for such a tall secondary. Two of my table top Tesla coils use 2.375 diameter secondaries and I use real right coupling on them without any troublesome racing sparks.

Winding secondaries by hand wore my hands out. I'de certainly make an attempt to use the one you made, I didn't realize it was already wound... My first few secondaries were wound by hand, but no more... :)

P.S. Secondary height versus coupling has only a fractional bearing on frequency. Wire length is the major contributor to frequency.

cool gained one more knowledgeable point abt wire length.:-D
thx buddy

I build a wooden stand which can like be made to change the side bars where the pvc pipe has to be placed

and now I can wind it with motor

I just need to add a counter on that motor now :)

edit: I will post my tesla coil pics in the evening. :)

Plasma Lover

Wed Mar 25 2009, 07:22PM

Registered Member #1911 Joined: Mon Jan 05 2009, 06:30PM
Location: Salem, Oregon, USA
Posts: 165

kashish0711 wrote ...

I build a wooden stand which can like be made to change the side bars where the pvc pipe has to be placed

and now I can wind it with motor

I just need to add a counter on that motor now :)

edit: I will post my tesla coil pics in the evening. :)

I'm waiting to see the pictures. I'm wondering how you laid out your primary circuit.

You said "and now I can wind it with motor". What is it? And what do you mean by 'motor'? Are you speaking of winding a coil with the wire from a motor?

My bad. I didn't keep that part in context. I apologize.

coillah

Thu Mar 26 2009, 03:13AM

Registered Member #1517 Joined: Wed Jun 04 2008, 06:55AM
Location: Chico CA
Posts: 304

no need for a counter kashish, your geometry should tell you how many turns you have. Just measure the length of your winding. Also, if you dont know the exact freq of your secondary circuit its no big deal, you can just adjust your primary to match it later.

teravolt

Thu Apr 02 2009, 03:30AM

Registered Member #195 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 08:27PM
Location: Berkeley, ca.
Posts: 1111

hello kashish0711, how did your project go. did work out with you and your teacher

MRacerxdl

Thu Apr 02 2009, 01:55PM

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

wrote ...
would mine give sparks of say 3 to 4 inches??
thats all I need curently
and would there be enough Rf magnetic field to light up a fluorescent tube??

It will light up a fluorescent tube even if there is no spark coming out from the secondary coil... Because, sometimes the voltage are no sufficient to cause the breakdown of the topload, but the RF Field is going out normally, The fluorescent tube is used much in Solid State coils, because if it has some output (small like 1mm or so) it will light a fluorescent tube for at least 5cm of the coil... So even if your coil is not tuned correct, it might light up the lamp.

LithiumLord

Sat Apr 04 2009, 01:38PM

Registered Member #1739 Joined: Fri Oct 03 2008, 10:05AM
Location: Moscow, Russia
Posts: 261

hvguy wrote ...

If you use the schematic you have shown you DO NOT need a safety gap as the main spark gap will serve the same purpose.

The main gap may be a rotary one, in that case I'd add a safety one anyway just to feel better ;) Btw that's a good idea to add another safety gap across the MMC.

Plasma Lover

Wed Apr 08 2009, 06:08PM

Registered Member #1911 Joined: Mon Jan 05 2009, 06:30PM
Location: Salem, Oregon, USA
Posts: 165

Any news on the turn-out?

ElectricalEngg.

Wed Apr 22 2009, 04:11PM

Registered Member #1946 Joined: Sat Jan 31 2009, 11:37AM
Location: India
Posts: 43

hey guys
wow good to be back
sorry for not posting anything lately
I was on a college trip with no internet access

I completed my tesla coil and got the fluorescent tube glowing 3 feet away from tesla coil, but for some reason, no sparks :( there might be a few cm's but not big enough to be easily seen in daylight.

I think that is because the dia of secondary is small and the distance between primary and secondary is 1.5 inches more than desired and the no. of turns of primary are less.

I am taking it to tech-fest tomorrow and will post all the pics taken there, will return on 25th

and on the theory report, I will surely give credits to this site and you guys. without you I would have never been able to do it

Thank you so much guys

I love you all

You guys are great

first previous 4 5 6 7 next

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