My thinking was that for a given coil, increasing the arc length
would tend to increase the arc resistance, since mostly everything
else is staying mostly the same; the bang size, the peak currents,
the bps, the spark streamer output lengths, the winding resistances,
etc. I would think that if these things were shifted rather radically,
then the arc resistance would shift radically, but if these things
are pretty much constant, then the arc resistance should be
somewhat "agreeable". The type of materials of the gap can
have an effect, but I think it tends
to be a small effect. I would think the change in losses (due to
arc length) would have the largest effect. I just don't see why
making the arc much longer would be expected to have no effect
(on arc resistance),
in a situation where mostly everything else in the coil is mostly
the same. But you may be right. I'm not an expert on gap
physics. Yes, more experiments and research is needed.
What's interesting to is that many of these experiments are
not really difficult to perform, so I'm surprised that more folks
have not done them. Just looking at peak voltages, peak
currents, ring down decrement, quenching, etc. would tell
a lot, when comparing gap systems. This work can be done
on a small table top system, so that the sparks won't be
hitting walls and generally creating havoc during the testing.
John
Hi Bart,
An arcs resistance is quite different and variable to the current
without a definitive value. This arc resistance can match whatever is
thrown at it (from an 1/8" to 1" without a measurable difference [well,
unless some seriously acquisition is used]).
I think we view an arcs length as a length of wire and this is the
problem. An arc is not a length of wire. In the end, we can of course
average the resistance accounted "as" a length of wire. The gaps you ran
should have differed quite a bit if arc resistances were similar to a
length of wire. If the resistance was "not" definitive (and I don't
believe they are), then it is very possible the arc resistance is the
same or very near so for a long length and a short length (and time
defines their realized energy). This is an area that we just haven't
really explored in detail yet. Your experiments I think are the closest
that anyone has attempted, and those experiments state the arc
resistance is something to be further experimented with.
I "cringe" at what I've read at times mainly due to realizing the
inputs. I don't know any of this for certain. I am simply trying to
figure out what is real and what is not. The spark gap is one of the
most incredible and worthy analysis of any mechanical system I know of.
It rivals even resonant coil physics, and oddly, so closely related.
Take care,
Bart
**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
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