RE: Safety gap electrodes

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-xxxxxxxxxx> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-xxxxxxxxxx>)]

Wire electrodes are not well suited for safety gaps.  I tried using heavy
wire electrodes as you described in parallel with my cap and was appalled to
see it arcing at over 3/4" spacing!  How could this be, given that my main
static gap had less than 3/8" gap?  After all, the cap voltage can be no
higher than the main gap voltage.

I replaced the wire loop electrodes with spoon faces, to give a very large
radius of curvature.  Presto - the arcing distance went down to about 3/8",
same as my main gap.

Moral of the story is, heavy wires have a very small radius of curvature
defined by the wire diameter, not the loop diameter, and this small ROC will
promote corona and premature gap breakdown.

I recommend brass drawer knobs for safety gap electrodes.

Regards, Gary Lau
Waltham, MA USA


-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 6:44 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Safety gap electrodes


Original poster: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com 

I am working on a new sync rotary gap and want to install a new safety gap 
across the rotary.  I plan on setting the gap to approximately .450".  I
have 
used # 10 copper wire for this in the past with 1.0" dia. loops on each end.

I would like to use 1.0" to 2.0" round copper or brass electrodes for the
new 
safety gap.  Does anyone know where I can get these?  Hopefully somewhere 
that does not require a $25.00 minimum order. 

Thanks, Ed Sonderman