Re: Ball Lightning.

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Ball Lightning.
From: Jim Fosse <jim.fosse-at-bdt-dot-com>
Date: Thu, 07 Nov 1996 04:42:33 GMT


>Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 12:34:50 -0800
>From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Ball Lightning.
>
>Tesla List wrote:
> 
[big snip to save chip]
>> > Veeerrrry Interesting...!
>> > Could you tell what actually failed around the alligator clip? Some
>> > inexpensive ones merely clamp the wire-lead to the clip and use a
>> > cheapie version of an insulation displacement connection which typically
>> > has high resistance and a poor connection. Could you tell if this was
>> > the point of failure or did the alligator clip's connection to the
>> > secondary base wire fail?

Dan and Bert,

	I've seen this from alligator clip leads that I've used in my
pig primary circuit (experimenting).  I've gotten 2' (+- 6 month old
memory here) sparks from both the wire to clip crimp AND from the
alligator teeth to post connections.  At work, I found that I could
change the measured voltage across a set ( 1 ampere flowing) by
several tenths of a volt just by wiggling the wire to clip junction.
I've since soldered all my alligator clips to their wires.

	Regards,

	jim