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Re: Spherical discharge terminal
From: Mike Hammer[SMTP:mhammer-at-misslink-dot-net]
Sent: Monday, June 23, 1997 4:57 PM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Spherical discharge terminal
At 03:42 PM 6/22/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>From: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com[SMTP:Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com]
>Sent: Friday, June 20, 1997 9:07 AM
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Spherical discharge terminal
>
>There was some discussion here a while back about the different effects
>produced by using round v.s. toroidal discharge terminals. Last night I
>placed an aluminum foil covered styrofoam ball (about 6" in dia.) on the top
>of the toroid of my 3" coil. When running, for the first several seconds,
>the discharges are similar to using the toroid - dancing around the ball and
>many forked like normal, then after maybe 20 seconds it settles down to just
>one streamer going straight up. This one streamer walks around the ball
>somewhat but has no forks in the discharge except at the very top. It goes
>straight up for about 16" to 18" then produces many forks at the top. I have
>never seen this before. It reminds me of a tornado in appearance.
>
>Has anyone tried this on a larger, higher powered system? That would be
>something to see a single discharge going straight up for seven or eight
>feet. This would probably only work outside with absolutely no wind.
> Something else for me to try when I eventually get some new capacitors for
>my 6" coil.
>
>Ed Sonderman
Ed,
I have had this same effect many times. I have only noticed
it while using a spherical terminal.
While my coil is not really high power I have had this single
snake like streamer out to about 28 inches. I have had them last
up to 30 seconds. Any air movement seems to disrupt it.
What I notice if one begins while I have the variac setting rather
low is that more power tends to make them thicker rather than longer.
I have had them as thick around as my thumb.
Very unusual and interesting effect.
TTYL!
Mike Hammer
mhammer-at-misslink-dot-net