Tesla Coil Extras

Well it was nearly finished.... I am sure I will keep on posting extra additions and also experiences of my first fire-ups and tunings. First addition was mentioned in my last post, the safety bleed resistor for the large 40uF capacitor in the SSG circuit. This was quite a quick fit, the resistor is only small so I decided to fit it on the side of the module that held the 40uF capacitor. I made 2 identical mounting posts out of 10mm diameter brass rod. The posts are 25mm long and the resistor sits in 3mm diameter horizontal holes 12.5mm up each post.

The resistor legs are clamped by M3 grub screws at 90deg to the mounting holes. Electrical connection to the capacitor are ring terminals onto M4 allen key bolts (stainless of course) into the tops of the mounting posts.

I made up the wires to the resistor starting with female 1/4" piggyback blade connectors which meant I didn't have to amend the existing wires to the SSG, they could just plug into the piggybacks.

While the weather was good I decided to sink the grounding rod in the middle of my back lawn. The rod is 1 metre long and I thought it would take several attempts to sink it as the garden seems to have a thick layer of industrial rubble just under the surface. Must have been my lucky day as I hammered the rod well below the surface on the first attempt. I removed a small square of turf before I started. You can just see the refitted turf in the above pic. Next dry weekend I will run the earth lead from the rod under the lawn turf to the patio.

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