Hello,

Here are five pictures of my Tesla "hairpin device". The rods are 1/2" diameter aluminum, 3 feet tall and had a 13 inch rod across the top.

The transformer is an ignition transformer, 10KV @ 23MA. I'm using high voltage wires that can handle 20KV. I think they are 16 gauge.

The capacitors are rated at 16KV and 150pF, I think. They were from Russia, I believe. The F(farads) looks like a zero with a slash going down through it (150n phi symbol), and the volts are labeled B. It is considerably lower than Karl's capacitors of 2000pF each. I'm still waiting for my 20KV, 1000pF x 4. I'll parallel a pair to get the required 2000pF each.

When I run it, I get a combo hot flame with capacitative discharge because it will burn paper and it makes loud crackling noise. This is unlike Karl's where his just leaves little holes in his paper to make it feel/look like tissue after it has placed between the spark gap. When I remove the load (the aluminum bar running across the top), the noise changes to a softer but hotter crackle between the carbon gouging rods. I don't want to touch the two vertical rods because I suspect there is a mixture of normal high voltage and radiant voltage, as evidence by the sparks/arc burning the paper.

See at 2:40 this video:
YouTube - Karl Palsness AEPC 2009 Tesla Hairpin Circuit Part 6

Maybe when I get my larger capacitors, I will get better results. So I'm guessing that in order to get the desired or correct radiant results, the arc/sparks should not burn the paper, but only put holes in it. @Karl, is this correct?

-brian