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Re: Spherical discharge terminal
From: DR.RESONANCE[SMTP:DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net]
Sent: Monday, June 23, 1997 10:23 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Spherical discharge terminal
To: Mike Hammer
We've noted similar effects with a large coil running a 34 x 7 toroid with
a 14 oblate (Van de Graaff) setting on top. It appears the effect is
related to electrostatic shielding, height of the oblate above the toroid,
and most importantly spark gap jitter -- the nonprecision opeation of a
rotary sparkgap. The coil will sync for a short time and then go back to
rotating sparks. Operation with a large DC motor synchronous sparkgap
produced a single streamer when the RSG speed was carefully adjusted.
DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net
----------
> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: 'Tesla List' <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Re: Spherical discharge terminal
> Date: Sunday,June 22,1997 7:44 PM
>
>
> 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
>
>