Eric Dollard

[Ajay]

Preliminary Plasma Experiments

Hello again,
I am in the process of rewinding my secondary and I decided to stop halfway and test the insulation and to determine the terminal voltage of the secondary windings. I am getting several kv out of it (as one might expect from a 50kv induction coil). I decided to see how the plasma from a dielectric barrier discharge would look in comparison to a solid state plasma globe driver in which the secondary is grounded to one side. I grounded my secondary (which is about 106 turns which makes it a 1:5 air core transformer) on one side and connected the plasma ball to the other. Here you can see the photos from the plasma. One of the photos was taken with the solid state driver for comparison. That is the one with the thin streamers like a regular plasma ball.
In another photo you can see the multiple spark gap I am using. Using the distance of the air gap as an indication, I would say the induction coil is operating at less than 20kv.
One note which I found interesting is that my finger got much more hot when I touched the tesla coil powered plasma ball.
It is also interesting that the presence of defined streamers practically disappears in the tesla coil operated globe.
I would love to see some other people try this out with their coils so we can catalog the plasma effects and perhaps determine the plasma indicators for proper 1/4 resonance. I think the whole globe will light up brilliantly white with a properly tuned coil.
BTW, I bought this 7 inch globe for $30. Worth every penny.
All the best,
Ajay

[Sputins]

Is there any way you can ramp up the secondary voltage a bit to see how that changes the effect? It is really interesting. Also, what resonant frequency are you working at?

The natural frequency is around 2000Kcps. The secondary voltage is undetermined but I can draw about an inch spark off the top. I could up the voltage by introducing another amplification stage to the driver. I have an 833A VTTC built many years ago which I might modify to add in and run this system temporarily… But that would be over 100 Watts, which is my legal limit. (Depending upon field emission tests and if indeed the two coils cancel out air transmission). But then again I have another complete system I’m building up. “MK-2”

And have you tried tuning the coil while you are touching it to account for your body's capacity?

Yes. I’ve mentioned this previously somewhere. I find the strongest effect is to de-tune the system such that by bringing your hand near the terminal capacity brings the system back into resonance. So now your body’s own capacity becomes part of the system.
Doing this you can feel the dielectric field interact with the surface of your hands and there is similar sensation felt but slightly different than holding the (telluric) output directly. Although I have not tried tuning the system while holding those cylinders.. Something yet to try…

As for the nerve damage, I highly doubt it. Tesla treated himself with high frequency apparatus often in virtually every way imaginable, and he never spoke of any negative effects (besides, perhaps, the inability to sleep).

I also doubt I’m doing any nerve damage, but still it is something to be careful and mindful of.

Electro Therapeutics is one of the most fascinating aspects of electricity and especially Tesla tech IMO..

Yes I would agree, it is another important area of research and useful purpose.

Patrick Flanagan has recommended the use of a xenon (Tesla style) single terminal bulb atop a TRT. He said that the dark emanations from this bulb would be highly beneficial to the body. I want to try this one out as well.

Yes I’ve heard about the noble gasses and their use with a TC. A friend of mine has built such a device with the noble gasses. But I don’t have my own set of noble gases as yet. I won’t speak of Patrick Flanagan here. He claims he is the reincarnation of Tesla and I think that offends Eric and some others. While he may be an inventor, he certainly isn’t Tesla.

Sputins- Have you tried a plasma globe as an elevated capacity? The plasma globe driver circuit is basically an Oliver Lodge coil, so I bet your Tesla coil would work much better. It would be really interesting to see the difference in plasma formation as well.

I have not used a plasma globe as an elevated capacity, except to bring it near the field. However elevated capacities of different types and arrangements, is something I’ll certainly be delving into a little deeper.

[Ajay]

Electro Therapeutics

I’m not sure what the highest voltage I was obtaining and it depends on what end of the coil is being measured. Although yes, likely a few KV’s..

As for the heating effect, it is felt by a direct touch. If one touches the very edge of the stainless steel cylinder I was using, you’ll get an RF burn off the sharp edge and it hurts a little, (but it simply feels hot with no electrical sensation). However, if the flat surface of the cylinder is touched or picked up, then no pain is felt and no RF burn, no shock.

Holding on to the cylinder for a little bit, one feels a kind of warmth which slowly grows and travels. It is an odd feeling as it feels like the warmth is on the very surface of the skin or just above it. The warmth slowly travels up the hands to the lower arms.

If I have not touched or played with the output for a few days, a week or so, upon returning to it again and touching it, the initial feeling is quite amazing… One can feel the warmth around the hands again but also the feeling can extend further and I can feel it up and down the spine, legs and head. The body feels like it is actually being charged up or something. It almost feels like you are being straightened out and the hairs on the body stand up a bit. (You feel like you want to stand taller).

There is seems to be a limit to this and after that initial feeling, it subsides, although you can always feel the warmth in the hands.

While it sounds like I’m trying to be a human light bulb, actually no. I’m really quite cautious with all of this and I don’t over-do it, as it is all very experimental..

No-one really knows if it is of benefit to the body, or if it is actually causing some damage by cooking nerve endings or something?

Certainly though, the electro- therapeutic effects of these systems are yet another avenue for research…

Is there any way you can ramp up the secondary voltage a bit to see how that changes the effect? It is really interesting. Also, what resonant frequency are you working at? And have you tried tuning the coil while you are touching it to account for your body's capacity?

Electro Therapeutics is one of the most fascinating aspects of electricity and especially Tesla tech IMO.
I heard Eric described a way of treating people with sound by creating opposing standing waves with sharp transients, but I did not understand exactly what he was saying so I could not replicate it. It sounds awesome, and I would love to get some more info on it from him on the subject. (This was in an interview on YouTube)

As for the nerve damage, I highly doubt it. Tesla treated himself with high frequency apparatus often in virtually every way imaginable, and he never spoke of any negative effects (besides, perhaps, the inability to sleep).

Patrick Flanagan has recommended the use of a xenon (Tesla style) single terminal bulb atop a TRT. He said that the dark emanations from this bulb would be highly beneficial to the body. I want to try this one out as well.

Sputins- Have you tried a plasma globe as an elevated capacity? The plasma globe driver circuit is basically an Oliver Lodge coil, so I bet your Tesla coil would work much better. It would be really interesting to see the difference in plasma formation as well.

[Sputins]

Hi Macak,

Excellent post, great links, many thanks.

Welcome to the EPD Channel on the EG Forum.

The Cutler Marine VLF transmitter site is quite mind blowing.

[Macak]

Travailing north from my little New England town a few years back on our way up to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia we came upon the US Navy’s VLF transmitter site at Cutler Maine. This transmitting station is on a 2800 acre peninsula that reaches out into Machias Bay, has 26 towers reaching up over 900 feet to support an enormous elevated capacity, spider web of wires. The ground plane is made up of 2000 miles of #6 bare copper wire forming a mesh that covers the whole peninsula and extends down into the surrounding ocean waters. The station runs at 2,000,000 watts to communicate with the US submarine fleet while submerged. Interesting thing is that it’s operating mode is described in the open literature as using “displacement currents” to transmit the signal. Longitudinal, telluric waves maybe?

This installation was built in 1962 and is one of last operating VLF stations being used by the US Navy. It appears to be the last advancement developed from the cold war, based on a history of preceding VLF installations around the world. Listed below are some links from a fantastic site covering US Navy Radio communications from the 1950s and 1960s. The images posted above of the huge Variometer and Helix coil are from a now decommissioned VLF station that the US Navy had in Panama in the early 1960s. These images show the scale of the inductors needed at these huge power levels at 20 KHz where they operate. Explore the links, there is a treasure trove of information.



NAA Cutler Maine - Navy VLF Transmitter Site

US Navy Radio Communications - 1950's & 1960's

Navy Shore Station LF & VLF Transmitters


73s
DE
KD1MW

[Sputins]

I am rewinding the Tesla style induction coil to get a lower resonance point. In the mean time, I decided that I wanted to go ahead and start the construction of a Cosmic Induction Generator based on the CRI mathematics.

What is the highest voltage you were able to obtain with your coils?

I saw Sputin's video of his coils and it looks like he was getting at least 1kv.
In the video he mentioned a heating effect when he grabbed the terminals of the coil pair.
Has anyone else experienced this heating effect? If so, how pronounced was it?

Tesla spoke of this effect and I am interested in reproducing it.

I really appreciate all of the help as well, this can be a difficult subject to wrap your head around.

I’m not sure what the highest voltage I was obtaining and it depends on what end of the coil is being measured. Although yes, likely a few KV’s..

As for the heating effect, it is felt by a direct touch. If one touches the very edge of the stainless steel cylinder I was using, you’ll get an RF burn off the sharp edge and it hurts a little, (but it simply feels hot with no electrical sensation). However, if the flat surface of the cylinder is touched or picked up, then no pain is felt and no RF burn, no shock.

Holding on to the cylinder for a little bit, one feels a kind of warmth which slowly grows and travels. It is an odd feeling as it feels like the warmth is on the very surface of the skin or just above it. The warmth slowly travels up the hands to the lower arms.

If I have not touched or played with the output for a few days, a week or so, upon returning to it again and touching it, the initial feeling is quite amazing… One can feel the warmth around the hands again but also the feeling can extend further and I can feel it up and down the spine, legs and head. The body feels like it is actually being charged up or something. It almost feels like you are being straightened out and the hairs on the body stand up a bit. (You feel like you want to stand taller).

There is seems to be a limit to this and after that initial feeling, it subsides, although you can always feel the warmth in the hands.

While it sounds like I’m trying to be a human light bulb, actually no. I’m really quite cautious with all of this and I don’t over-do it, as it is all very experimental..

No-one really knows if it is of benefit to the body, or if it is actually causing some damage by cooking nerve endings or something?

Certainly though, the electro- therapeutic effects of these systems are yet another avenue for research…

[Ajay]

Using a Function Generator as a Power Source

I am rewinding the Tesla style induction coil to get a lower resonance point. In the mean time, I decided that I wanted to go ahead and start the construction of a Cosmic Induction Generator based on the CRI mathematics.

What is the highest voltage you were able to obtain with your coils?

I saw Sputin's video of his coils and it looks like he was getting at least 1kv.
In the video he mentioned a heating effect when he grabbed the terminals of the coil pair.
Has anyone else experienced this heating effect? If so, how pronounced was it?

Tesla spoke of this effect and I am interested in reproducing it.

I really appreciate all of the help as well, this can be a difficult subject to wrap your head around.

[mikrovolt]

Great job guys, those tesla models should be will be handy.

I posted a video that shows the original coils 10 mH
The sectional type. I am not sure what he needs now.

http://www.energeticforum.com/271817-post22.html

[Sputins]

Yikes! Hopefully it cleared out safely. I suppose that's one advantage of living in a cold and wet country, at least there are no deadly creatures to worry about!

That's quite a professional looking setup you've got coming along there. Nice idea building it into the desk.

Thanks dR-Green.

The snake has gone now and it is once again safe in the garage…

Although thinking about it, the bite from a HV power supply would likely kill quicker than any snake.

There are plenty of deadly creatures here though! Last week there was a report from the local helicopter beach patrol of a seven metre great white shark seen only 100m off-shore. Seven freaking meters! Biggest shark ever seen here! Bigger than most boats!

Enormous Great White Shark Photographed In Australia Could Be Largest Ever Seen | IFLScience

Anyway, I’m reviving all my work on the Tesla coils and then some, with the system shown in the photos and some other things not shown in any photos as yet.

Cheers.

[Sputins]

Thanks for all of your help, Sputins!
I have purchased a couple of nice amps, they seem to keep breaking with the various LMD Analog networks that I have built and operated with them. I recently got a Bravo V2 vacuum tube amp, and I have no clue how to convert the audio output to two (black and red) leads! The output sounds pretty bad using headphones as well, leading me to believe it is broken

Back on the topic of the coil's resonance:
I was able to get optimal resonance using a square wave at 20vpp @ 100 khz
However, that was using a 50% duty cycle. According to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7gP...r_bD-QF97tCD4A the Tesla hairpin circuit outputs very sharp transient waveforms. To better replicate this effect I lowered the duty cycle to .1%, which gave me barely any light on the the ouput LED, and only at about 1khz. Anything above that frequency with the low duty cycle does not even light a single LED.

I hand wound an LMD circuit with approximately a 100khz resonance to drive the primary, but no significant advantage was gained by this. I can't light an LED with one wire connected to the LMD circuit either, so maybe that is not operating correctly.

100khz is a very high target for a spark gap operating frequency. I figured that the harmonics in a spark gap play a significant role, so if I can get a lower harmonic of 100khz, perhaps it will operate successfully. It is a wonder how Tesla tuned his coils so well back then

I am going to upgrade the spark gap a little. Any advice is greatly appreciated at this frustrating (but still fun) stage in the coil's development.
Cheers,
Ajay

You might find that the LMD Analog networks can be hard on the amps. This is because as resonance is achieved, because it is a series resonant circuit, the network acts like a short circuit and only the resistance (R) of the coils is seen by the amp at resonance. The current is maximum at series resonance. So you can often blow fuses in you amp. So to get around that, use a transformer of some sort, or a high watt rated resistor of such value (lowest value you can get away with) to prevent blowing up your amps.

100kHz resonance is likely too high for an audio amp and hard to achieve with a spark gap. So you’ll have to use an RF amp or re-design the coil and capacitance for a lower frequency.

I don’t have any more or better advice on the hairpin circuit than what dR-Green has said.

There are several people who have built coils on Eric’s design criteria and have been able to get them to resonance, at least with primary and secondary coils. I think most of the people who have had some success have posted it here on the forum at one point. dR-green, myself, Geometric Algebra, Nhopa, Smokey, Orgonaut, Jake, Artoj, and probably a number of others too.

[dR-Green]

While tinkering with the TMT rig late last night, suddenly there was an intruder in the garage! An angry and upset Eastern Brown Snake, (likely scared by the thunderstorm).

What a fright to have the world’s second most venomous snake suddenly enter the scene acting very aggressively because of the storm. I jumped on a ladder and waited until the snake settled down a bit, before I made a quick exit out the door! (Browns are extremely dangerous when upset or threatened, so I'm not going to try and be a "Steve Irwin" and try to catch it).

A little excitement indeed… Hopefully the serpent will soon make an exit as well.

Yikes! Hopefully it cleared out safely. I suppose that's one advantage of living in a cold and wet country, at least there are no deadly creatures to worry about!

That's quite a professional looking setup you've got coming along there. Nice idea building it into the desk.

[Ajay]

Hairpin

The stout copper bars A.K.A. "hairpin circuit" is not a resonant condition as such, it's an experiment to demonstrate, in Tesla's own words, "impedance phenomena". Standing waves related to the frequency and therefore wavelength produce high and low potential points/nodes along the bars, connecting to various points of which allowing the bulb to light up, or not.

You will need an exceedingly high frequency in order to produce such nodes along a short length of conductor, 100 kc is much too low, the wavelength at that frequency is nearly 3000 metres. That means that the first high potential peak will be 750 metres down the line.

Also, your frequency or "trigger" source if you will is simultaneously your power supply. So if you turn the duty to 1% then of course you have less power, since the condenser is only being charged 1% of the cycle.

Ideally you need a DC or "constant" power supply, or let's say 99% duty, and then you discharge all that in 1% of the time. Not apply power to charge the condenser 1% of the time because then the amount of power in the circuit is feeble.

An LED is also not advisable, you should use small incandescent/filament bulbs starting with the 1.5V grain of wheat bulbs. Although beware that these tiny bulbs can also be more difficult to get working than higher power ones.

Thank you for your input dR Green. The "hairpin circuit" is just the term I used to describe the circuit. If you look at the circuit diagram I provided on a previous comment, you can see that the circuit is essentially the same, although it uses a coil instead of a "stout copper bar". Tesla recommended this circuit if the "current forming the arc is small", as it is in my case.
You are absolutely right about the length of the conductor being too small. I will likely need to make a larger coil and make some adjustable oil capacitors in order to fine tune the rate of charge/discharge of the capacitors in order to achieve proper resonance. It is difficult to know what the frequency limits of the spark gap are when using a disruptive discharge circuit because there is no one who has documented it.
I have also purchased some neon bulbs for use in future experiments.
Has anyone achieved HV resonance on a Tesla coil built to Eric's specs besides Eric?

[dR-Green]

Thanks for all of your help, Sputins!
I have purchased a couple of nice amps, they seem to keep breaking with the various LMD Analog networks that I have built and operated with them. I recently got a Bravo V2 vacuum tube amp, and I have no clue how to convert the audio output to two (black and red) leads! The output sounds pretty bad using headphones as well, leading me to believe it is broken

Back on the topic of the coil's resonance:
I was able to get optimal resonance using a square wave at 20vpp @ 100 khz
However, that was using a 50% duty cycle. According to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7gP...r_bD-QF97tCD4A the Tesla hairpin circuit outputs very sharp transient waveforms. To better replicate this effect I lowered the duty cycle to .1%, which gave me barely any light on the the ouput LED, and only at about 1khz. Anything above that frequency with the low duty cycle does not even light a single LED.

I hand wound an LMD circuit with approximately a 100khz resonance to drive the primary, but no significant advantage was gained by this. I can't light an LED with one wire connected to the LMD circuit either, so maybe that is not operating correctly.

100khz is a very high target for a spark gap operating frequency. I figured that the harmonics in a spark gap play a significant role, so if I can get a lower harmonic of 100khz, perhaps it will operate successfully. It is a wonder how Tesla tuned his coils so well back then

I am going to upgrade the spark gap a little. Any advice is greatly appreciated at this frustrating (but still fun) stage in the coil's development.
Cheers,
Ajay

The stout copper bars A.K.A. "hairpin circuit" is not a resonant condition as such, it's an experiment to demonstrate, in Tesla's own words, "impedance phenomena". Standing waves related to the frequency and therefore wavelength produce high and low potential points/nodes along the bars, connecting to various points of which allowing the bulb to light up, or not.

You will need an exceedingly high frequency in order to produce such nodes along a short length of conductor, 100 kc is much too low, the wavelength at that frequency is nearly 3000 metres. That means that the first high potential peak will be 750 metres down the line.

Also, your frequency or "trigger" source if you will is simultaneously your power supply. So if you turn the duty to 1% then of course you have less power, since the condenser is only being charged 1% of the cycle.

Ideally you need a DC or "constant" power supply, or let's say 99% duty, and then you discharge all that in 1% of the time. Not apply power to charge the condenser 1% of the time because then the amount of power in the circuit is feeble.

An LED is also not advisable, you should use small incandescent/filament bulbs starting with the 1.5V grain of wheat bulbs. Although beware that these tiny bulbs can also be more difficult to get working than higher power ones.

[Ajay]

Resonance Difficulties

Ajay,
Nice 50Kv induction coil you have there. You are probably just not achieving a resonant condition with the induction coil and its spark gap etc. What frequency do you expect it to work at or near?

Thanks for all of your help, Sputins!
I have purchased a couple of nice amps, they seem to keep breaking with the various LMD Analog networks that I have built and operated with them. I recently got a Bravo V2 vacuum tube amp, and I have no clue how to convert the audio output to two (black and red) leads! The output sounds pretty bad using headphones as well, leading me to believe it is broken

Back on the topic of the coil's resonance:
I was able to get optimal resonance using a square wave at 20vpp @ 100 khz
However, that was using a 50% duty cycle. According to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7gP...r_bD-QF97tCD4A the Tesla hairpin circuit outputs very sharp transient waveforms. To better replicate this effect I lowered the duty cycle to .1%, which gave me barely any light on the the ouput LED, and only at about 1khz. Anything above that frequency with the low duty cycle does not even light a single LED.

I hand wound an LMD circuit with approximately a 100khz resonance to drive the primary, but no significant advantage was gained by this. I can't light an LED with one wire connected to the LMD circuit either, so maybe that is not operating correctly.

100khz is a very high target for a spark gap operating frequency. I figured that the harmonics in a spark gap play a significant role, so if I can get a lower harmonic of 100khz, perhaps it will operate successfully. It is a wonder how Tesla tuned his coils so well back then

I am going to upgrade the spark gap a little. Any advice is greatly appreciated at this frustrating (but still fun) stage in the coil's development.
Cheers,
Ajay

[Sputins]

Snakes alive

While tinkering with the TMT rig late last night, suddenly there was an intruder in the garage! An angry and upset Eastern Brown Snake, (likely scared by the thunderstorm).

What a fright to have the world’s second most venomous snake suddenly enter the scene acting very aggressively because of the storm. I jumped on a ladder and waited until the snake settled down a bit, before I made a quick exit out the door! (Browns are extremely dangerous when upset or threatened, so I'm not going to try and be a "Steve Irwin" and try to catch it).

A little excitement indeed… Hopefully the serpent will soon make an exit as well.