Winding Coils

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    Alternative

    This is an alternative to purchasing the bifilar coils already wound and cored. This alternative is

    more difficult and time consuming than simply ordering the coils already wound and cored.

    Hand winding jig.My hand-built jig for hand winding a coil consists of the following parts when loaded:

    1. Round tubing in a T shape (to hold the source wire spool.)2. Round tubing (to hold the target spool.)

    3. Source wire spools.

    4. Target spool.5. Mechanism to hold the wire taught.

    6. Mechanism to permit turning the spool.

    7. Mechanism to prevent the wire from unwinding during the wind.

    8. Counter.

    Tubing

    There are essentially two tubes, the source wire tube and the target spool tube.

    This picture is taken from below the target spool looking

    up to the source spools.

    In my case, the tubing was a part of a wheel chair and

    happened to be exactly the right diameter so that the wire

    spools could fit over them and turn freely during the wind.

    I do not know any other sources for this type of tubing as

    Ive not needed to find any but Im sure they are

    available.

    In both cases, one end of the tubes is affixed to a shelf and

    the work bench; the other end with the spools on them is

    extended out over the respective edges so that the source

    wire spools and target spool can turn freely.

    Source Wire Tube

    The source wire tube holds two spools being the two weights of

    wire used for the bifilar coil, #23 and #26. As noted above, my

    source wire tube is in a T shape.

    The source wire coils are on each end of the top of the T. The

    stem of the T holds the source wire spools separate from each

    other and provides a means to fasten the unit to the bench or a

    shelf as the case may be.

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    At the two ends of the top of the T, I used spring clamps to ensure the source wire spools do not work

    themselves off the tubing onto the floor. That can be a real mess to clean up and the wire is essentially

    ruined. These spring clamps also had rubber ends which, with a little care, can be pushed up against the

    source wire spools enough to prevent the spools from turning too quickly.

    Target Spool Tube

    The target spool tube is muchsimpler as it is holding only one

    spool.

    In my case, I was able to obtain

    a curved tube with a spring-

    loaded nipple on one end. I

    added a rubber washer held on

    with electrician tape. The

    nipple and washer prevented

    the spool from moving during

    the wind.

    In the alternative, a straight

    tube would suffice with clamps

    on both ends to stop the spool

    from falling off during the

    wind.

    Source Wire

    I purchased source wire from a local electronics supply shot. They did not have the magneticwire I wanted and so I had to settle for a slightly different size but still within the tolerances as

    described in the parts list.

    I have just purchased bulk wire from "Truth-In-Heart" found at http://rpmgt.org/order.html, and

    have yet to use the bulk wire to wind a coil. Obviously the size of the holes in the source wire

    spools is likely larger than that in the small source wire spools Ive been using. This maynecessitate finding different size tubing to hold the large bulk spools.

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    Target Spool

    For the spools, I use the white plastic spools sold by "Truth-In-Heart" found at

    http://rpmgt.org/order.html. I purchased 10 spools.

    Mechanism to hold the wire taught

    This takes some fiddling and depends on how your tubing is set up. As shown above, the sourcewire spools are held in place with clamps that have rubber ends. Careful placement ensures the

    wire is taught but not tight. It doesnt need to be very tight, just tight enough to so that the wireis going on the target spool relatively tightly.

    But the source wire spools are only one end of the wire. The other end is the target spools asshown in the picture below. The placement of the spring clamp was used to keep a slight

    pressure on the wire preventing it from unwinding.

    Mechanism to Permit Turning the Target Spool.

    Ive used two different systems. The first was to drill a hold into the end of the target spool intowhich I placed a 4 inch long, round headed bolt (round head facing inwards towards the wire).

    This worked fairly well, but I was concerned about catching the wire on the rounded head.

    For the second system, I used a long spring

    clamp (as opposed to a carpenters C clamp.)

    I attached this clamp to the lip of the end of the

    spool and turned it, thereby turning the target

    spool. This also required some fiddling when

    the wire got to the end of the spool onto which

    this clamp was attached. At this point I

    removed the clamp, turned the spool by hand

    until the wire had travelled away from the

    clamp end and then replaced the clamp.

    It should be noted that this clamp had enough

    weight to keep the wire from the source wire

    taught if stopped in the right place.

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    Mechanism to prevent the wire from unwinding during the wind.

    Holding the wire taught is the main way to prevent the wire from

    unwinding. But there are times during the wind when one will need

    the use of ones hands. Some means had to be found to prevent the

    wire from unwinding.

    I used a small spring clamp which I clamped on the wire coming

    from the source wire spools to the side of the target spool.

    Counter

    Im sure there are some fancy counters out there. I counted out loud and marked an x for

    every 20 turns onto a piece of wood with a black marker. This number happened to be thenumber of turns I could rely on not being interrupted. I tried to ensure I kept track of the number

    of turns required for the source wire to travel the length of the target spool one way. I say triedto because this number changes as wire is wound onto the target spool. At first the number is

    over 100, but at the end it is under 80.

    Stopping to mark my x, or to deal with any interruption required I keep track of which

    direction the wire was travelling as I wound it on the coil (towards the bottom or towards thetop.) Youd be amazed how difficult it is to find this out by simply looking after a few hundred

    winds. Short of unwinding 10 or so winds of wire, visual inspection was not helpful.

    Preparation

    Using a black permanent marker, I marked one end of theempty white plastic spool "bottom" and drew a circular

    arrow in the counter-clockwise direction.

    I marked the other end of the white plastic spool "top" and

    drew a circular arrow in the clockwise direction. This

    leaves no room for confusion on.

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    Youll note on the diagram at the left, which is

    available from the files section of the

    Bedini_Monopole3 site, the bottom of the spool is

    where the winding starts. Youll also notice it

    suggests ending the winding as near to the top of

    the coil as possible.

    The words top and bottom are with reference

    to the coils position when mounted below the rotor

    wheel also drawn in the sketch.

    Youll also note the wires may be twisted. This

    is NOT the same as Litzing. I do not twist the wire

    as I have not figured out a way to incorporate that

    into my jig though it wouldnt be difficult.

    So I now have the source wire tube loaded with the source wire on spools and spring clampscarefully adjusted to keep the source wire spools taught, but not too tight.

    I left about 12 inches of wire loose (not wound into the spool). I taped this loose wire to the

    bottom end of the spool so it is out of the way.) For my first coil, I made the mistake of not

    leaving enough loose wire. I need more wire to properly connect the coil to the circuit. I tried

    pulling the wire out from the wound spool and, as I pulled on it, I broke it. The coil and all thatwire was useless. I could not find where the break was or arrange things to unwind the spool

    without crimping the wire. So take my word for it and leave 12 inches of wire loose.

    I started winding at the spools end marked "bottom", winding the wire counter-clockwise as

    viewed from the bottom clockwise as viewed from the top. It requires 8 or 9 passes up and

    down the length of the spool to get the 850 winds recommended.

    Manually turning the target spool (by turning the spring clamp) was how I wound the coil. One

    hand was turning the target spool; the other hand was guiding the wire from the source wire

    spools. Obviously this elementary system did not permit me to twist the two wires coming fromthe source wire spools. That would require some means of turning the T shaped tubing. It is

    something I may do, but for now this system is sufficient.

    Thats it and the rest can only be learned by trying it.