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(Fwd) Re: Start up question



Subject:  (Fwd) Re: Start up question
  Date:    Wed, 30 Apr 1997 12:03:51 +0500
  From:    "Alfred A. Skrocki" <alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com>
    To:    tesla-at-pupman-dot-com


On Wed, 23 Apr 1997 16:32:31 -0400 (EDT) Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com wrote;

> When I attempt to fire up my three inch coil, most of the time it won't
> fire for a while after I turn it on.  I slowly turn up the variac and
> finally get to full power and it just sits there - with no gap firing
> for sometimes many seconds, then it will finally take off.  Once it has
> started, I can power it down very low on the variac setting and the gaps
> are still firing.  Then I can turn it off and back on and get everything
> to work as I expect from then on, with the gaps starting to fire at about
> 35% of full variac control.
> 
> I am using a 12kv 30 ma neon with a Richard Quick cylindrical gap.  Five
> gaps each set at about .028".  I have tried changing transformers, same
> thing.  I added another one in parallel and it had to sit at full power
> for almost a minute before it started running - then worked properly.
> 
> What is happening here?  Is it something to do with the capacitor?  It
> is a rolled poly cap with two layers of .062 poly between each plate for
> about .005 mfd.

Ed, it sounds to me like your spark gap is a bit too wide. what 
apparently is happening is the current has difficulty jumping the gap 
until either dust, cosmic rays or what ever initiates the spark which 
then heats up your gap thus lowering the necessary voltage to jump it 
and then your gap runs fine. This is telling me you are just a bit 
over the maximum gap for your set up. Try decreasing the gap a tiny 
bit and see if it cures your problem.
                               Sincerely

                                \\\|///
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                           Alfred A. Skrocki
                   alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com
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