Re: Hydrogen diodes!!!??

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Hydrogen diodes!!!??
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 22:27:44 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	richard hull[SMTP:rhull-at-richmond.infi-dot-net]
Sent: 	Thursday, September 04, 1997 2:44 PM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	Hydrogen diodes!!!??

All,

Well during the long trip to NY, Kim, Dave and I mulled over the issue of
back to back timed H2 thyratrons.  I advanced that a simple mercury vapor
diode (866) in reverse would at least allow for one reversal in the primary
circuit.  All of us thought that a capital idea.

On returning and consulting the data sheets, I was dismayed to find that the
standard Hg vapor diode needs a horrendous 8-10usec to fully ionize!!!
(~1000usec to click off)  Unfortunately, it's all over but th' shoutin' by
the time the darned merc gets goin'.

Hydrogen diodes (100nsec click on time) are available, but are about 1000
times rarer (surplus) than the average H2 thyratron!

In some concerted weekend experiments with maggey #12 I was pleased to note
that neither a regular 9 gap satic gap nor a rotary beat out the H2
thyratron (actual spark output) at the same power level of primary drive!
This was unexpected to say the least.  However, a little cogetation would
mediate this first impression.  The coil is operating at a tune point of
580khz (UHF for a maggey type Tesla coil!)  Add the .6 coupling and maybe a
single half cycle would not be all that bad!  Lots more to this than meets
the first blush conceptualization.  Still, I will endeavor to vary the
effective primary circuit on time electronically.

More after my big upcoming bash here steamrolls over me!

Richard Hull, TCBOR