Tesla coils and CFLs.

[xee2]

@ lathunter

Is this correct?

No. The CFL ratings are not what you are lighting them with. They can be turned on with less than 15 milliwatts.

I do not know how to measure the output power of Tesla coil. Maybe you should start thread with that question and see if anyone else knows.

You might want to try tuning your pickup coils to the output frequency of the Tesla coil by putting a capacitor in parallel with the pickup coil. This will increase the voltage across the the pickup coil. You can google LC resonance to find out what size capacitor once you know the freqency and coil inductance. You will need a frequency meter to measure the frequency. You will need an inductance meter to measure the inductance of the pickup coil.

[flathunter]

Thanks for the info Xee2.

I had a feeling it may not be so simple!  I suppose thats why the J.Thief is able to light such big CFLs on such small batteries.

I think there is already a thread entitled ''how do i measure the output of a T.Coil.''  but only 1 reply and no answers are forthcoming 

Have I, at least, measured the input power correctly?  Do I just look at my NST ratings?  what do you reckon?  You seem like a knowledgeable chap!

I assumed the large piece of iron being used as ground was kind of acting like a capacitor - like i said, i see things (perhaps too..) simply.  and i look at my T.Coil...and its a big coil, with a large piece of metal on top (aluminium) acting as a capacitor.  Then i look at my receiver coil and its a big coil (or 3 big coils) with a large piece of metal (iron) at the bottom.

what do you think?  so many questions, i know 

[xee2]

@ flathunter

Have I, at least, measured the input power correctly? 

I am not sure what a 6500V NST is. But measuring AC power is very tricky. You need to know the RMS voltage, the RMS current, and the phase angle. If you can convert it to DC then it is simply amps times volts.

[flathunter]

Sorry NST means Neon Sign Transformer

Sounds complicated!

[xee2]

Sorry NST means Neon Sign Transformer

Sounds complicated!

If you assume you have 6500 volts RMS and 23 ma RMS and that phase angle is zero, then you can compute the maximum possible power coming in using 6500 x 0.0.023.