Show me your primary tap / Tesla Coils / Forums

Forums

4hv.org :: Forums :: Tesla Coils

« Previous topic | Next topic »

Show me your primary tap

1 2 next

Move Thread

LAN_403

Mads Barnkob

Wed Sept 15 2010, 04:16PM

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

Hi All

I am currently thinking of a way to make my primary tap for my DRSSTC. I do not want to go with the fuseholder solution.

What I have thought of so far according to the attached picture is a piece of copper bar bend in a U shape with a screw on that presses a "plate" against the the primary, this plate will be "covered" in screen from a cable for better contact, as I suggested Finn on his thumper.

But for inspiration and if there is better solutions, please show me how you do it, this is now a good place to brag and show off your genius solutions :D

Marko

Wed Sept 15 2010, 04:58PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

Hi mads,

Since fuse clips frustrated me as well, I thought about possible ways of devising a screw-down mechanism like yours. I couldn't figure out how to make something that can easily get into and between the turns without requiring to disassemble it - in your picture, how do you intend to detach the U bar from your plate and cable when you want to tap to another turn? you can only slide it a limited distance between primary supports.

I also didn't like my primary clip twist up and down when attached to primary, Hence I ended up using four fuse clips, only two of which are actual contacts, in my Big Bad the SSTC. Fuse clips actually work surprisingly well (if they are brass, not steel!) and I always polish the surface when re-tapping.

Marko

Mads Barnkob

Wed Sept 15 2010, 05:35PM

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

Oops.. you got me there, didn't think that one through, its impossible to get off again :D

Here is a revision, but its beginning to be quite some parts...

There is the U shaped copper, with a hole for connecting the primary lead with a cable shoe.

The brown pin through the U shape is threaded in the middle for the grey screw to go into, it presses a small copper piece against the tubing and locks with the U shaped pressing the cable shield in the back "yellow" against the tubing.

It can all be disasembled and moved, but its some work and the primary wire gets too far out from the primary to my liking... Ill better sit here trying to think of a better clamp...

Maybe a brass clamp, like a giant fuse holder, but machined with a mill, only just to fit my 10 mm tubing could be good... but no mill at my disposal...

I am sorry for the crude picture, but my girlfriends tiny notebook only got a tiny touchpad :D

radiotech

Wed Sept 15 2010, 07:02PM

Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546

From the Industrial Electricty side - We call these splitbolt connectors and then come in many sizes.

Arcstarter

Wed Sept 15 2010, 08:28PM

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

radiotech wrote ...

From the Industrial Electricty side - We call these splitbolt connectors and then come in many sizes.

Yea, my dad has some, i used them for a primary once. I used it with the flat part facing down, and i cut the splitbolt to size so it did not touch the winding above it. I brazed the thick litz to the flat part.

It worked well, but i stupidly crushed the tubing, i got it too tight. Not to mention, on the copper piece that is connected to the nut, there is an edge in the middle, so it crushed the middle of the pipe inward. If they have the same nuts with that piece of copper rounded, that would be great.

Marko

Wed Sept 15 2010, 09:42PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

How about simply drilling holes in the thick copper tube and tapping to them? It should not be too difficult to drill even a M5 or M6 hole every 10cm or so, and then re-run with a tap in the drill? You only need to do it on 2 or 3 turns, and it seems like less work than building a delicate tap. Or just use a fuse clip for start, and then drill a few holes later.

Marko

klugesmith

Wed Sept 15 2010, 10:40PM

Registered Member #2099 Joined: Wed Apr 29 2009, 12:22AM
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 1716

radiotech wrote ...

Good picture, as usual!

The lower-right illustration shows cable clips installed correctly, where many people don't realize that it matters.

Whether you are terminating a copper conductor or a steel wire rope, the U-bolt should touch the dead section of the line, while the live section rests on the forged or cast saddle part. When clips are installed upside down, the connection is less strong, because the U-bolt indents and concentrates stress on the load-bearing line.
"Never saddle a dead horse."

Steve Conner

Thu Sept 16 2010, 10:00AM

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

How about something like this?

Dr. Drone

Thu Sept 16 2010, 08:48PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

Mads Barnkob

Sun Sept 19 2010, 06:08AM

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

Dr. Spark wrote ...

Here is a new way am connecting the primary on the DRSSTC Bi-polar, just wrap a small strip of copper around primary and bolt down. Takes less than minute to move.

Spark On,
Dr. Spark

This is excatly what I was looking for, thanks for pointing me in that direction, is always hard to keep it simple :)

1 2 next

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