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Question regarding synchronous gap driven coils



Hi everyone

I address this post mostly to those of you who run synchronous rotary
gaps but will certainly appreciate responses from anyone.

Here is a quick description of my latest creation although the question
also applies to my previous smaller TCs.

Secondary:240 turns #14 ga wire on a 14" x 30" skeleton acrylic frame

Primary:6 turns 3/8" copper tubing spaced 3/8" apart solenoid wound on 
18" diameter acrylic skeleton frame tapped at 5 turns

Neon:15kv -at- 120ma

Toroid:8" x 18" mounted 2" above top turn of secondary

Primary top turn is even with lowest turn of sec giving k=.25(about)

Rotary synchronous break -at- 1800rpm giving 1 break per half cycle of the
mains at about peak of the sine wave

Discharge length over 60" point to point limited by room dimensions

Although the discharges maximize at the fifth turn tap, a variation of
+/- 1/2 turn has very little effect on the discharge length although
changing to the sixth of fourth turn has more effect. The connecting
wires between the gap, cap and primary are from 6" to 12" max.

In reading various posts it appears that those of you running static
gaps and non-synchronous gaps obtain very definite peaking when tuning
the primary. My question is: do those running synchronous gaps see the
same sharp tuning or do you see the much broader peaks which I
encounter. Also is it possible that the broader tuning is due to the
fairly large diameter primaries and secondaries which I use or is it due
to the synchronous gap.

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