Anyone good at building Coilguns (gauss guns?)?

[DarkDenizen]

I'm building a small coilgun right now with a flash circuit. I've got a 330 volt capacitor. What would be the best size coil to make?

 

[Daminon]

Do you think this is a very common thing?

 

[GST_Nemisis]

I've got a 330 volt capacitor.

the farad size of your capacitor will greatly affect how the projectile is accelerated. generally, a larger capacitance is better.

What would be the best size coil to make?

http://www.coilgun.info/theory/coilsize.htm

that gives alot of info.

 

[DarkDenizen]

What's the farad size? Also, how would you reccomend wraping the coils? I use an electric drill to spin my spool, but that only gives me mixed results. Is there a good way to do this?

 

[GST_Nemisis]

lol before embarking on something like this i would research alittle in electronics. a farad is a measurement of capacitance, in simple terms it is how much charge a capacitor stores and for this kind of purpose you need at least 0.2 Farads, preferably 5 farads but any bigger is better. wrapping coils u sould wrap them around you gun barrell by hand

 

[DarkDenizen]

Heh I don't know too much of the terminology, just the principals. Anyway, I'm more worried about how big a coil to make. My cap's capacity is 120 farads. I am assuming I would probably be making a larger, higher resistance coil here?

 

[GST_Nemisis]

Anyway, I'm more worried about how big a coil to make. My cap's capacity is 120 farads.

LOLOLOLOL are you sure its 120 Farads?! that capacitor must be the size of your car!!!!! be very very very careful with this because a capacitor that big is likely to kill you if you ever got an electric shock from it.

look, here is a picture of a one farad capacitor:
http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QS1BRK7ML._SS500_.jpg
a 120 farad one would be 120x bigger in physical size, i would be surprised if it is this size.

I am assuming I would probably be making a larger, higher resistance coil here?

the best thing to do to make it work is the math. there are equations working out the henries of a coil to give maximum power in a theoretical environment, alternatively you could mess around and find out by trial and error. i personal much prefer the latter to maths

 

[Grivus Dorelock]

A supercapacitor http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...C_and_BC_ultracapacitor_cells_and_modules.jpg

isnt too big and can get up to 3000f.


However I am assuming his is 120µF as its prolly a photoflash cap.

 

[GST_Nemisis]

yeh but that one at the front which is 3000F is only 2.7 volt, for 330 VDC it would be much bigger, more about the size of that one at the back.

 

[Grivus Dorelock]

Nah, it would have to be even bigger for 330v. The one in the back is prolly like 60 v, 1kF.

I didn't notice he said it was 330vdc until later and that why I added the He is probably using a 120uF cap.