Various Tesla book cover images

Nikola Tesla Books

Books written by or about Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla: Colorado Springs Notes, 1899-1900 Page 156

August 20-21, 1899

Observation: When lamps increase strongest on supply circuit then spark will not jump over the gaps, showing that then e.m.f. on secondary of W.T. smallest:

Connection was changed to that indicated in sketch for the purpose of avoiding effect of short circuit of secondary of W. T. through primary arc. Absorbed energy was great. Sparks on switch serious. Lamps would go up very much when arc would break through. But general results not satisfactory. The condensers directly on W.TS. take strong current.

Colorado Springs

Aug. 21, 1899

Other experiments with oscillator secondary 29 turns. Simply spark gap. Connections used:

Plan illustrated in first diagram was adopted to obtain double number of breaks with same disk and securing other advantages. Also to better utilize W. Transformer. It was found that when one side on it worked remarkably well, sparks about 4 feet. The tension on each half of transformer being 11,000 volts approx. when both parts on interaction hurtful. The chief drawback being short circuiting of secondary. The arc was snappy and loud indicating short circuit and rapid vibration through wire W. The secondary discharge was thick but spark not long about 3 feet. All tanks were in on

156

Contents

Introduction
June 1 - 30
July 1 - 31
August 1 - 31
September 1 - 30
October 1 - 31
November 1 - 30
December 1 - 31
January 1 - 7
Commentaries

Appendices: I, II

Images

Glossary

Lowercase tau - an irrational constant defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its radius, equal to the radian measure of a full turn; approximately 6.283185307 (equal to 2π, or twice the value of π).
A natural rubber material obtained from Palaquium trees, native to South-east Asia. Gutta-percha made possible practical submarine telegraph cables because it was both waterproof and resistant to seawater as well as being thermoplastic. Gutta-percha's use as an electrical insulator was first suggested by Michael Faraday.
The Habirshaw Electric Cable Company, founded in 1886 by William M. Habirshaw in New York City, New York.
The Brown & Sharpe (B & S) Gauge, also known as the American Wire Gauge (AWG), is the American standard for making/ordering metal sheet and wire sizes.
A traditional general-purpose dry cell battery. Invented by the French engineer Georges Leclanché in 1866.
Refers to Manitou Springs, a small town just six miles west of Colorado Springs, and during Tesla's time there, producer of world-renown bottled water from its natural springs.
A French mineral water bottler.
Lowercase delta letter - used to denote: A change in the value of a variable in calculus. A functional derivative in functional calculus. An auxiliary function in calculus, used to rigorously define the limit or continuity of a given function.
America's oldest existing independent manufacturer of wire and cable, founded in 1878.
Lowercase lambda letter which, in physics and engineering, normally represents wavelength.
The lowercase omega letter, which represents angular velocity in physics.