Various Tesla book cover images

Nikola Tesla Books

Books written by or about Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla: Colorado Springs Notes, 1899-1900 Page 209

October 5, 1899

Height of sphere from ground in feet Capacity of primary expressed in tanks on each side Turns in regulating self-ind. coil Self-ind. in reg. coil Total self-ind. in primary circuit Arc Capacity in primary on one side reduced to same value of self-induction in primary; minimum 106,800 m or 137,200 c Increase of capacity of primary or sec. in percents
measured data cm. calculated data cm. in primary in secondary rate absol.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
20.66 4.66 21.5 77,400 103,200 133,800 m. 173,200 c. 1/2" + 1 turn 52 1/4" 5.84 m. 5.88 c.    
21.66 5.33 22 79,200 105,600 135,600 m. 175.600 c. ” ” 6.77 m. 6.82 c. 16 m. 16 16
16
22.66 6 22.5 81,000 108,000 137,400 m. 178,000 c. ” ” 7.74 m. 7.78 c. 14.3 14.1 32.5 33
23.66 7 20 72,000 96,000 128,400 m. 166,000 c. ” ” 8.41 m. 8.47 c. 8.6 8.9 44 44
24.66 8 14 50,400 67,200 106,800 m. 137,200 c. ” ” 8.00 m. 8.00 c. -5 -5 37 37
25.66 8 one pr. turn 15.5 53,800 74,400 112,200 m. 144,400 c. ” ” 8.42 m. 8.42 c. 5.25 5.25 44.5 43
1.66* two pr. turns 24 86,400 115,200 312,000 m. 395,000 c. 1/8” + 1 turn 20” 8.04 m. 8.07 c. 0.5 0.9 37.7 37.2
Source:
by Professor Aleksandar Marinčić

October 5

Tesla checks the secondary coil adjustment. The procedure is already standard. He adjusts the capacitance and inductance in the primary (with coil of variable inductance connected in series) until he achieves the maximum sparks at the secondary terminals. Operating frequency is approximately calculated on the basis of total inductance and capacitance in the primary. The influence of the secondary adjustment to oscillation is checked by a sphere addition of 38.1 cm in diameter and because that has very little influence he draws the conclusion that the distributed secondary capacitance is large.

The same day he continues the notes by writing about the sources of possible errors when determining the variances of globe capacitance with height variance. He give the precise interpolation form according to which method applied on Oct. 4, the desired capacitances variances can be found.

Starting from some height, he has to change the primary coil (by reconnecting the turns in series a connection) due to the small maximum capacitance value in the primary.

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.