From tesla@grendel.objinc.comSat Aug 12 09:53:54 1995 Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 11:30:49 +0700 From: tesla@grendel.objinc.com To: billbeskimo.com, dickgray@csn.org, dlubing@msn.fullfeed.com, francis.17@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu, mmccarty@dnaco.net, pmgisler@stud.ee.ethz.ch, rob@atitech.ca, ryan.jester@slug.org, wdf1@lehigh.edu Subject: Re: Tesla Group Archives >From jim.oliver@welcom.gen.nz Wed Aug 9 11:12 MDT 1995 >Received: from ns-1.csn.net (root@ns-1.csn.net [199.117.27.21]) by uucp-1.csn.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id KAA13224 for ; Wed, 9 Aug 1995 10:42:05 -0600 From: jim.oliver@welcom.gen.nz (Jim Oliver) Subject: Re: Tesla Group Archives Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 07:23:00 GMT To: tesla@grendel.objinc.com TE>From richard.quick@slug.org Tue Aug 8 07:12 MDT 1995 TE> * Original msg to: Kukkonen@snakemail.hut.fi TE> KU> btw: I thought about faq for the list.. What do you think TE> KU> about these paragraphs: TE> 0. Warnings about the hazard nature of the devices TE> 1. Tesla himself [edited] I think the main headings are right on the button, really good. Do you think a specific heading for "Important formulas" (to calculate the main parameters) should be included ? Could this be handled by simply giving the lit. refs ? It's been said before that coiling as we do it is a "sort of art", but it's important in any serious study to separate the art from the science. The construction of Tesla coils should not be seen totally as an "art" in itself, this is obviously untrue as evidenced by the huge number of scientific studies of the "Tesla transformer" and associated hardware. There is ample proof that the operation is easily and accurately predicted by theory given accurate components and construction. If it is regarded as an art, then this shows some reluctance on the part of the constructor to accept the part played by the science and theory of the coil. By understanding this well we can begin to build with real confidence. Of course constructors of long experience probably apply more science than they are aware of, or are able to explain to less experienced people. "Tweaking" in the end will produce results, but this tweaking is always the result of experience _and_ science. One can get there much quicker by accepting and using a certain number of basic formulae. To give you some appreciation of this, I started out building caps using glass plates ! My first secondaries were wound on broom handles !!! I weep now when I think of the effort and heartache that went in - all mostly in vain. A modicum of science could have saved the day tremendously. The refs. given a few days ago in this list prove what I'm saying : Electron beam production by a Tesla transformer accelerator. Boscolo et al. Rev. Sci. Instruments. V 48 No 7 P747 (1977) A Tesla transformer as high voltage generator. Hoffmann. Rev Sci. Instruments. V 46 No 1 P1 (1975) Design Charts for Tesla transformer type relativistic electron beam generators. Matsuzawa et al. Rev Sci. Instruments. V 53 No 5. P694 (1982) (Out of interest some of these use up to 100kV into 20 microfarad for the primary circuits. One uses a pressure vessel filled with sulphur hexafluoride to 60 psi as an insulator ! Peak voltages are up to 2.5 MV. Capacitors are often of the water type) In all cases the theory closely predicts the performance. The art as I see it is a learned appreciation of the materials and some parts of the construction and is separate from the actual determination of the various quantities involved (capacitance, inductance etc) and their relationships. The Tesla coil can be built in any number of configurations as required to suit different purposes, e.g a relativistic beam instrument is not built the same way as a spark coil or a solid state coil, but the principles of operation are the same for all. TE>I agree. The FAQ on this subject really needs to draw the TE>questioner into the material. Go ahead and gather a draft TE>version. If there are holes that need to be filled now, let me TE>know the intended length, format, etc. and I will be happy to TE>provide text to fill in the gaps. TE>We can plug in the raw information in the coming months. It looks TE>like I am going to write a book too, so the drawings and TE>techincal details can serve both purposes. Please let me know if you want a section filled in, however I warn you, I will be referring extensively to the work of Richard Quick ! Jim Oliver * SLMR 2.1a * *********** Pretty starry out tonight ************