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Re: Capacitor C/Peek



At 05:26 AM 11/2/96 +0000, you wrote:
>From rwstephens-at-ptbo.igs-dot-netFri Nov  1 21:53:34 1996
>Date: Fri, 1 Nov 1996 23:55:01 -0500
>From: "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-ptbo.igs-dot-net>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Capacitor C/Peek
>
>>>From ed-at-alumni.caltech.eduThu Oct 31 22:44:27 1996
>>Date: Thu, 31 Oct 1996 18:09:07 -0800 (PST)
>>From: "Edward V. Phillips" <ed-at-alumni.caltech.edu>
>>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>>Subject: Re: Capacitor C/Peek
>
>>Re:
>>"
>>|any accuracy when attempting to measure voltages by spark length.  I have
>>|plans
>>|to build a directly connectable HV capacitive divider probe this year
>>|for the lab with a capability of at least 500 kV with accurate
>>|frequency response for waveform analysis.  This will be a very useful
>>|instrument with which many questions might be answered."
>>	When this is available it should produce some very interesting
>>data of spark length vs voltage vs time etc.  Hope we will all get
>>to see the results (and perhaps suggest other experiments).  I
>>have always felt such a capacitive divider is the ONLY way to make
>>any meaningful measurements.
>>Ed Phillips
>
>Ed, All,
>
>I will keep you all posted on this project.  It is a few months away 
>though.
>
>rwstephens
>
-----------------------------------------------

Connecting anything to the secondary terminal of a Tesla coil will lower the
voltage and give an erroneous voltage reading. A better method would be to
measure the electric field which Breit, Tuve, and Dahl did with their 5
million volt coil in the 1930's as shown in the Tesla Coil Construction
Guide. The problem is that it is difficult to calibrate the measuring setup.
It is more difficult and probably impossible to calibrate the method you are
contemplating.

I agree, however, that it would be nice to have a better method than the
present wild guess spark length method. One possibility is the CSL method or
controlled spark length. Whatever it is it has to be simple and inexpensive
or coilers won't use it.

However, don't let me discourage you as you might hit on something good.

Jack C.