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Re: Series Gap Question



 Quoting coco-at-mindspring-dot-com:

> I recently got a hold of two of those Miller spark-gap 
> asemblies from a local welder repair shop... I know have the 
> option for up to four gaps in series (as in the photo mn03.gif) 
> My question is, What is the advantage of having sevveral gaps 
> in series..and, is there diminishing returns after some point,
> and what about parallel points to increase gap surface area.  
> (these gaps are tungsten faced steel slugs..wuth allum. heat 
> sink mounts on a ceramic base)

Series gaps quench better than single gaps. The load on a series
set of gaps is better distributed. Too many gaps in series cause
problems: 1) with off-axis inductance 2) gap voltage getting too
low on any given gap for reliable firing 3) gap shorting from
slag caused when the gaps get very tiny (compensating for #2)

Ideally I like 4 - 8 static gaps in series.

Richard Quick


... If all else fails... Throw another megavolt across it!
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