Re: TC Spark Energy

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

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

In a message dated 3/10/04 7:14:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

>The answer is also very simple. This rating method gives low ratings for
>large TCs,  only a couple inches per input joule. In other words large TCs
>appear to be very inefficient. This is a problem. Any comments?


John,

This is because the ratio of spark length to input power (or energy)
is not linear.
Rather the relationship follows the square law closely.  I don't
see this as a matter of efficiency or inefficiency.  Efficiency is
the ratio of input energy to output energy.  The sparks from a large
coil are not only longer but thicker and brighter in a sense.  This
takes a lot of energy to produce such sparks.  Your methods
would be true only for a particular spark length.  For example
you could compare a coil that gives a 10" spark with another
coil that gives a 10" spark.  You could judge the relative
efficiencies of these two coils by measuring their input power.

John F.