[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: An Interesting Problem



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 23:37:11 -0400
From: "George W. Ensley" <erc-at-coastalnet-dot-com>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: An Interesting Problem 

Malcolm,

One of my coils did this a lot. It used a static gap that were a bit too
wide, but it made for a little extra spark length. Using a bump to force
breakout it would run very smoothly 10-15 minutes at a time. Without the
bump it just wouldn't stay lit. But with a few clicks of the power switch it
would run in fits and starts.

Without the breakout bump there was a lot of extra power being dissipated in
the gaps. This made them heat up and get dirty fast. I assumed that there
were some changes in gap geometry when they got hot.

My guess is that when things were running smoothly the cap voltage was
higher as a result of system resonance. When things were not running
smoothly system resonance was disrupted. With the primary dissipating the
secondary energy my poor neon was probably called on to bring the cap
voltage back from well below 0 volts and just didn't have time to reach
firing voltage. That theorie only accounts for 1/2 cycle or so but that was
enough for the wide gaps to finish the job.  






At 04:06 PM 10/13/97 -0600, you wrote:
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 09:43:45 +1200
>From: Malcolm Watts <MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: An Interesting Problem
>
>Hello All,
>            I've some up against an interesting conundrum that I 
>expect others have struck at odd times (no, I haven't scoped it).
>I recently fitted more top C to my largest coil, added a turn to the 
>primary and removed about 20% of the primary capacitance to tune it 
>back up. With the radius of curvature at the top it is now having 
>trouble breaking out at the energy level the primary is running at
>(around 2.7J). When it does, it throws a few hot ones, stops dead and 
>either continues to burp in this fashion or needs to be switched off 
>and on again at the wall to get the gap to fire again. The primary 
>voltage is rather low, *but*, it does run reliably and steadily if I 
>add a bump or small point to the terminal in which case it now throws 
>a steady streamer (which waxes and wanes in length as usual).
>    The question: if the gap can clearly fire at this setting, what 
>is stopping it in its tracks when the thing does break out on 
>occasions? Any answers?
>
>Malcolm
>
>
>
george............