From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhtsa!alice!rabbit!jj Newsgroups: net.physics Title: More on Tesla coil... Article-I.D.: rabbit.1392 Posted: Fri Apr 29 12:03:53 1983 Received: Sat Apr 30 04:21:13 1983 References: <1282@allegra.UUCP> (This is a reposting of a cancelled article, with an utterly freudian typo. If you see it twice, {stop using A news, don't mail me, forget it}.) Two other things to note about building tesla coils: If you can make the spark gap adjustable, then do so. Needless to say, don't try to adjust it while it's running. Do try to set it so that that it's about 90% or so of the striking distance, that will eliminate the problem of quenching the arc. Run the coil only in a very well *ventelated* room. The Ozone generation properties of a TC are phenominal, and the stuff isn't too good for you. Ohe yes... If you have an appropriately sized variac, try it on the primary of the neon sign transformer. You will find that for various tunings, the best drive will be attained at different drive levels. Adding more tang bottles (I use qt. coke bottles myself, don't forget the salt!) will make the drive level higher, so start with several, not one. Do be careful that you don't get breakdown along the edge of the tang (or coke) bottles, keep the outer foil (a wire into the salt water will do fine) at least 3 in or so away from the top. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ