Re: spark length vs toroid diameter

• To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: spark length vs toroid diameter
• From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
• Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 01:17:29 -0500
• Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

Subject:     Re: spark length vs toroid diameter
      Date:  Wed, 07 May 1997 18:58:24 -0800
      From:  Greg Leyh <lod-at-pacbell-dot-net>
        To:  Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
References: 
           1


dw pierson wrote:

>         Assuming the rest of a given coil setup can provide some
>         arbitrarily high voltage (eg: low enuf losses, high enuf
>         power), the spark over distance is set, largely, by the
>         terminal (toroid, sphere, whatever) diameter.  A 'zero radius'
>         terminal (point) will spark out at a relatively low voltage.
>         If LOTS of power is available, there may be long sparks.  A
>         larger toroid will 'allow' higher voltages before sparking over.
>         (Of course changing toroid size also changes tune, all the
>         way back thru the system, so simply dropping on a new toroid
>         to see the effect can be complicated to interpret...)


There are several points to consider here:

1)  Why then wouldn't a hemisphere on the top of the coil be the best?

2)  Some coilers report getting longer arcs by putting breakout points
    on their toroids, which actually compromise the hold-off voltage.

3)  The streamer itself, once formed, acts as a sharp wire hanging off
    the toroid, further compromising its holdoff voltage.

It would seem that a larger radius of curvature isn't necessarily
the reason for longer arcs.  What else could it be?

-GL

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