Tesla's Black Box, fact or fantasy

[mrbreau]

[Aaron]

comments on observations

[ren]

[Guest]

Anyway, the interesting part of the story is the tech inside the car. The vacuum tube plasma receiver of radiant energy seems very interesting.

So to summarize it seems like Tesla was indeed inspired by Mooray during his later years. Hence focus on materials in combination with resonance, producing plasma.

[dambit]

Some of the old steam cars could reach some speeds that would rival todays cars (the dodgy ones anyway ), but they could certainly break all the speed limits. His electric motors could have been variable torque, and don't quote me on this, but they were probably more powerful than the average petrol engine of the time. With the correct gearing I think one could have reached a speed of 90mph. Maybe

Cheers,

Steve,

P.S. Ren, I like your avatar. Russells periodic table and the 10 octaves of integrating light. The most accurate IMO.

[Tehnoman]

Can't see any problems with going @ 90 MPH with only 1800 rpm. Keep in mind that electrical motors can produce far more power at low rotation speed than any of modern internal combustion engines.

[Sephiroth]

I read somewhere that tesla did a demonstration in 1934 of his wireless transmission of power by modifying a car to run from the power he transmitted at a distance. If that is the case, then it is possible that the story is true and the 1931 model was a prototype for the 1934 model that did use the tubes with the reported model number.

[Sephiroth]

Bottom line is this. He is perhaps the greatest genius of our time, and is responsible for nearly everything we take for granted today. That in itself deserves maximum respect

I second that!

Three Cheers for Tesla!

[DavidE]

The question for me is not if he did or didn't produce the experiment...

But was the technology dependent on wireless power from his source origin (land based transmitter), or a free standing generation system... wholly contained within the vehicle?

Was he probably capable of both/either? Sure.

Who are we to doubt the master.

[ashtweth]

Can't help but wonder, lets just say for argument sake it was so, what would be the benefits of perpetrating such a hoax? What a prank? I can't find motive, but that doesn't really account for much. You cannot rationalize what isn't rational, some people do random things. I Don't think Tesla would of fooled us(IMO). If any maybe the conflicting documents could be misrepresentation, or error or even deliberate ...

Ash

[nat1971a]

i would be betting that it was wireless transmission...the main transmitter was somewhere else....and the circuit in the car was just the receiver....but who really knows....after studying the patents for so long....i believe that is what he has done.

[Stealth]

From what I have read, his nephew was the one who origiinally told the story. Supposedly, he was the one who rode in the seat beside Tesla during this experimental drive in New York. He was not shown the inside of the box and consequently may have speculated at the contents as well as the operation. He does not say how much of Tesla's technology he was familiar with, or at what level his understanding of science was at that time.It's hard to tell how much was added by reporters trying to sell the story or by his nephew, who was trying to make money from the story. The only way to know for sure is to build one and try it.
Stealth

[deggers]

I've always found this story quite interesting. I do not doubt that Tesla did it (or that he could), but the details are just a little too specific and misleading.

Perhaps a better story would have been "Tesla creates an electric powered automobile which can travel many miles, with no apparent source of energy."

That's a story which is believable , and it leaves open to the imagination how it might have worked.

Anyways, a quick web search lands the following page:

1931 Electric Pierce Arrow | Tesla FAQ No. 16 | Interesting Facts About Nikola Tesla

I was not aware that Tesla had two magnifying transmitters located in Canada...

Duane

[Dingus]

From what I have read, his nephew was the one who origiinally told the story.

There's one of the problems I have with the story. Since when did Tesla have a nephew?

[ashtweth]

This is strange, i have not had time to fully check this source out yet

Here's what Tesla himself had to say about wireless transmission of power to automobiles in 1922 (http://www.tfcbooks.com/teslafaq/q&a_016.htm):

"Question: Will not automobiles, for instance, be operated merely by the operative "cutting in" on electrical energy supplied by wireless from power stations?

MR. TESLA : I fear we shall not live to see the wireless system in general use for this purpose. It is difficult to propel an automobile by the new method for reasons with which experts are familiar. "