Re: Fundamental spark gap confusion

• To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
• Subject: Re: Fundamental spark gap confusion
• From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
• Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 12:42:05 -0500
• Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Julian Green[SMTP:julian-at-kbss.bt.co.uk]
Sent: 	Friday, August 08, 1997 11:05 AM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	Re: Fundamental spark gap confusion

> On my 15KV neon xfmr, if I hold the two output leads near one another, a spark
> will form when the seperation is _roughly_ .75 inch.  The doc's for the RQ
> static gap suggest using 12 gaps of .028-.030" for 15KV, a total of .336-.360".
> Others on the list have advocated using as little as 0.150".  I'm having trouble
> resolving this apparent discrepancy.

You get this 0.75" discharge because the end of the wire is sharp and a stream of
ions is rushing off the end.  This will ignite the arc at a much greater distance
than blunt ends.   Point one output lead at a candle - you can blow the 
flame out with the ion stream!

Repeat the spark gap test with two steel balls on the end of the output leads you
will be able to get much closer before the arc strikes.


Julian Green

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