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Re: Stationary Spark Gaps



In a message dated 95-11-21 04:18:06 EST, tesla-at-grendel.objinc-dot-com writes:

>
>Greetings,
>        I am experimenting with a couple different spark gap designs right
>now and would like some opinions from other coilers.  I am working with a
>system that operates at 15 kV between 0.4 and 0.9 kVA power levels.  I am
>currently using multiple stationary gaps (eight total 3/4 inch copper tubes
>3 inches long, spaced 0.02 inches apart, total gap distance = 0.14 inches).
>
>Is there a "preferred" total gap distance which avoids neon transformer
>damage and still delivers significant power to the primary?  Am I too close,
>too far?
>
>Will additional gaps at closer spacing work better (keeping total gap
>distance the same), assuming I provide adequate air flow to quench the
>sparks?
>
>Regards,
>Mark Rzeszotarski

Mark,

When I first got started, I built two of the cylindrical gaps as shown in the
funet files.  I used 6 copper sections in each gap with a spacing of about
.030".  Each gap had a total of about .150".  When using neon transformers
for power in the range of .7 to 1.4 kva, I found that the system worked best
with one gap.  I tried two in parallel and the two in series.  When I got too
much gap, the system was not very reliable.  It took almost full power to get
the gaps to fire and they would not reliabley stay fired - and as you say,
running at this point is hard on transformers and capacitors.

Ed Sonderman