RE: optimal TC size and other things

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Well, let me add a few caveats - 

I've had a difficult time doing a true comparison between the two
secondaries.  With the shorter 4" secondary, I could pretty easily direct
the streamers horizontally to a wall, but with the taller 6" secondary, it
now wants to arc directly to the ceiling.  I have managed to, for the most
part, aim the 6" streamers *mostly* horizontally, and I've not seen any
exceeding the 60" mark, but it's certainly possible that any spontaneous
higher-energy bursts that might have beat 60" just went up and hit the
ceiling, as they often do.

Regards, Gary Lau
Waltham, MA USA



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

In a message dated 10/3/00 7:53:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

> Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com> 
>  
>  My coil uses a 15/60 NST and I have run with both 4x23 #22 and 6x28 #22
>  secondaries.  I have not yet noted a performance difference (both ~60")
>  between the two secondaries, but I feel the longer 6" secondary will
>  ultimately permit better performance by virtue of its greater strike
>  distance from the primary. 

Gary, Alex,

I didn't realize that you compared those two secondary sizes and
saw no difference in performance (or I forgot).  At first I thought
I saw no difference between my 4" and 6" secondaries either, but
now that I went back and re-tested, I'm seeing a difference for
whatever reason; 38" sparks vs. 42" sparks.  Very interesting.

To Alex:   Yes, a 4" by 13" toroid is probably too small for 
a 15/120 NST.  It will work, and give a nice head of sparks, but
you won't get the max spark length possible, esp if the toroid is
not smooth.

John Freau