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Re: Spark Gaps

Subject:  Re: Spark Gaps
  Date:   Sun, 20 Apr 1997 12:30:43 -0400 (EDT)
  From:   richard hull <rhull-at-richmond.infi-dot-net>
    To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


>       From: julian <julian-at-glosilk.demon.co.uk>
>
>
>OK, Ive had an 'Ouch!' from Richard Hull and it looks like Im back to
>the drawing for a new rotary spark gap design.
>
>But before I do I still have some unanswered questions.   
>
>When the spark gap was working and running at full speed (10,000rpm) the
>output of the coil was at a maximum.   The pole pig does not kick and
>thump as it does at lower speeds.   So the faster the rotor goes the
>better the coil runs, if the rotary and caps can take the strain!  
>Please correct me if I'm wrong.
>
>I was watching Richard Quicks video the other day and noticed that he
>designed a static spark gap that I dont thing is described in the funnet
>archive.   It used a vacuum cleaner motor assembly mounted in a wooden
>box.  One side was open where he had assembled a series static gap using
>6-8 lengths of copper pipe.   The vacuum inside the box forced air
>through the series of static gaps.   He demonstraited that the quenching
>times were better for this gap than the PVC pipe static gap also
>described on the same video.
>
>snip

>Comments always welcome.
>
>Julian Green.
>
>
Julian,

I started this  vacuum quencher design back in early 1990 and it is
shown in
great detail on one of our video reports.  I used it on Nemesis for
years.
Richard Quick actually came to one of our Teslathons (I think in 93) and
saw
a lot of neat stuff we had.  He also purchased a bunch of our tapes. 

Richard came up quickly in the coil business (quicker than anyone I have
ever seen).  He is very intellignet and is a quick study. As the
Internet
was just a dream for the rich then, and as Richard was online to the old
BBS
system, he uploaded a lot of the info of his own as well as stuff he
picked
up from our tapes and visting the lab here in Richmond.  I was never on
line
until the internet matured in my opinion (late 95).  Bert Pool and
Richard
also uploaded data on the construction of the TCBOR type rolled poly
caps to
various older BBS systems and early internet sources.  Both of the
fellows
were on line early and had visited our Teslathons and purchased numerous
tapes from us. 

 Richard took to our copper series static gaps of all forms which we
pioneered in 89 and 90 from the simple pipe gaps to the circular fan
plenumed cooled gaps to the vacuum quencher you saw on his tape.

This vacuum quencher works exactly as you note and is superb for use up
to
15KW provided it is used in series with a rotary.  This was our first
super
quench system back in 1990 with Nemesis.

In 1990, I built an open ended wooden box.  Next, I made a series of
1.5"
copper cylinders 3" tall and mounted them on a phenolic block assembly.
This assembly was at the open mouth of the box. (with gasket sealing to
prevent leaks around the cylinders)  At the top rear of the box I placed
a
large 1hp vaccum blower.  This attempted to exhasut the box interior. 
The
vacuum "leak" was that air which could only move between the series gap
cylinders.  Thus, in one stroke, this both provided near supersonic air
flow
through the "nozzle effect" of the cylinders, but also provided rapid
cooling air over the gaps.  The air was as cold as the outside air.  The
air
never was prewarmed nor was it allowed to hang around in the vicinity of
the
hot gaps for any period of time!  Best cooling possible short of
refrigeration schemes.  All of this was video taped and placed on our
tape
#2 or #3. 

 Many folks have since used this old TCBOR design to advantage.  Richard
Quick was just one of many advancing amateurs who took advantage of all
that
he saw to quickly become a first rate coiler.

Richard Hull, TCBOR