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Registered Member #2471
Joined: Wed Nov 18 2009, 07:23AM
Location:
Posts: 17
Hi, I am pretty new to Tesla coils, and I have been studying a good deal of documents, to get started. However, since I lack certains basics, I have some questions that might be very stupid. So, please be patient with me. I'll start with a couple of simple questions.
-I saw some DRSSTC output, and I noticed that it has a sort of "ribbon shape". The sparks seem a bunch of parallel lines, instead of coming out as a "solid output" as in a spark TC. I was wondering if this is due to the resonant frequency of the coil, and if with different sized coils (different frequencies) you would obtain differently spaced parallel threads. To reword it better, is the distance between the output threads connected with the base resonant frequency?
-From my current understanding, you have to tune the DRSSTC to a certain frequency, which is fixed. Thus, if you want to play music through the TC, you need to modulate it over the DRSSTC resonant frequency. So... let's say I would like to have a variable carrier wave... that is not possible, because the resonant frequency of the coil is fixed. So, I cannot do that. Am I correct, or is there a way to have a variable carrier?
Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
aquilarubra wrote ...
Hi, I am pretty new to Tesla coils, and I have been studying a good deal of documents, to get started. However, since I lack certains basics, I have some questions that might be very stupid. So, please be patient with me. I'll start with a couple of simple questions.
-I saw some DRSSTC output, and I noticed that it has a sort of "ribbon shape". The sparks seem a bunch of parallel lines, instead of coming out as a "solid output" as in a spark TC. I was wondering if this is due to the resonant frequency of the coil, and if with different sized coils (different frequencies) you would obtain differently spaced parallel threads. To reword it better, is the distance between the output threads connected with the base resonant frequency?
-From my current understanding, you have to tune the DRSSTC to a certain frequency, which is fixed. Thus, if you want to play music through the TC, you need to modulate it over the DRSSTC resonant frequency. So... let's say I would like to have a variable carrier wave... that is not possible, because the resonant frequency of the coil is fixed. So, I cannot do that. Am I correct, or is there a way to have a variable carrier?
Thank you!
Actually, the appearance of the sparks is practically identical to a spark gap coil. A spark gap coil will have the same effect of "ribbon" sparks. The only difference is that the break frequency (or PRF) will differ between any coil as well as the pulsewidth (length of duration), so the appearance may be different.
The only way to audio modulate a DRSSTC is by PRF modulation. In otherwords, you vary the repetition rate of the arcs to create musical tones based on the frequency of the repetition rate. Very crude type of modulation.
Registered Member #2292
Joined: Fri Aug 14 2009, 05:33PM
Location: The Wild West AKA Arizona
Posts: 795
aquilarubra wrote ...
-I saw some DRSSTC output, and I noticed that it has a sort of "ribbon shape". The sparks seem a bunch of parallel lines, instead of coming out as a "solid output" as in a spark TC. I was wondering if this is due to the resonant frequency of the coil, and if with different sized coils (different frequencies) you would obtain differently spaced parallel threads. To reword it better, is the distance between the output threads connected with the base resonant frequency?
I have gotten the same ribbon like effect from just a plain SSTC by using a DRSSTC interrupter. This leads me to believe that it is the interrupter that cases this and not the actual type of coil.
Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
All it is the repetition and duration of the arcs. And each arc will rise (due to heat) so it will "stagger" the arcs and give it a ribbon like effect.
Also, the ribbon isn't a instant condition. Each arc occurs individually, so depending on the sensitivity of your eyesight / camera, will determine how well it can be seen or captured.
Registered Member #2471
Joined: Wed Nov 18 2009, 07:23AM
Location:
Posts: 17
Ahh, that's very interesting, thanks! So there is indeed a relation between PRF and pulsewidth, and it does not happen instantly, but longer shots with a camera are needed.
So, I understand that what I am really looking for is amplitude modulation. Do CLASS E TC operate with amplitude modulation?
Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
If you want audio from a DRSSTC, you can only get it through PRF modulation. If you want a 100Hz tone, then you simply set your interruptor frequency to 100Hz. And so forth . . .
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DRSSTC questions for experts
