Neons and Sync Gaps

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Neons and Sync Gaps
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 1997 06:50:16 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net


From: 	Malcolm Watts[SMTP:MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz]
Sent: 	Thursday, September 25, 1997 12:54 AM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	Re: Neons and Sync Gaps

Hi Jason,
           I would think your gap is firing more often. Yeah, time 
for the scope alright. These mysteries are not beyond good 
instrumentation I think.

Nice going :)
Malcolm

> From:   Jason Judd[SMTP:Jason.Judd-at-anu.edu.au]
> Sent:   Wednesday, September 24, 1997 10:49 PM
> To:     Tesla List
> Subject:    Re: Neons and Sync Gaps
> 
> Hi Malcolm and all,
> 
> I am starting to think that the voltage at which a static gap fires at has
> almost nothing to do with the gap distance. Last night I installed another
> 15 Kv 30Ma neon in my setup giving me 15Kv at 90Ma. With a smaller gap I
> was able to get 3' sparks like before, but now they are really powerful
> white hot arcs as well. When I removed one neon the sparks were only 2 foot
> and thin again. All the neons have been tested together and individually
> and are fine.
> 
> I would assume that the capacitor voltage before breakdown is the same and
> hence the stored energey would be the same. So why am I getting a 33%
> increase in spark length and sparks that are at least twice the diameter. I
> would estimate that there is between 50 and 100% more power in the arcs.
> Even with 2 neons and the gaps set much wider I don't get sparks any where
> near this quality.
<snip>