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Re: Why does top capacitance work?

In a message dated 97-02-11 00:57:59 EST, you write:

<< Subject: Why does top capacitance work?
 
> I must be suffering from a misconception about top capacitance - i.e.
 >the toroid.  People talk about putting a larger toroid on top as a way
> to get a larger spark.  The claim is that the larger toroid has to
 >charge up to a higher voltage before breaking out.
 
>The problem I have with this, is that the coil will be resonating with
> an A.C. voltage, at 50 kHz or 100 kHz or whatever.  So, won't the top
> capacitance charge and discharge at the same rate?  I would think the
>average voltage would be zero.  (I know I'm wrong here - I've seen the
> sparks!)
  >>

I heard that this is what T. Edison said also about 60 Hz alternating power;
if the energy goes one way, then the other way, there's no benefit, no power,
he suggested.    In actuallity, when the current goes one way, it supplies
power, and when it goes the other way it supplies power also.  It doesn't
matter which way the current goes, as long as it GOES!  It's sort of like
when you rub your hands together to warm them up, it doesn't matter which
direction you rub them, all that matters is that they are rubbed.  (The
"average" motion of you hand may be zero but your hands still warm up.)  In
the toroid, the average voltage over time may be zero, but at each RF peak
the voltage is far from zero.  Picture a giant pendulum such as a wrecking
ball swinging back and forth smashing houses and buildings left and right,
the average motion may be zero, but the poor houses and buildings still feel
the mighty and destructive blows.  And as the crane operator swings the arc
of the ball ever wider (more "voltage"), the destructive power becomes
greater.  This is the wonder of resonance, just like we see in our Tesla
coils.  With a big toroid, this resonant energy builds up longer and
stronger, before it can escape from the toroid.  Before the sparks break out,
the Q of the secondary is higher, high Q systems can build up and store
tremendous energy.  Finally this high Q energy is released in a low Q torrent
of sparks as the energy breaks out of the toroid.

It's 4 am, my bed is calling!!

John Freau