Spark Gaps

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Spark Gaps
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 03:45:51 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

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From:  D.C. Cox [SMTP:DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net]
Sent:  Sunday, April 12, 1998 11:23 AM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  Re: Spark Gaps

to: John

Closing is important as the peak current must rise quickly to place as much
energy in the magnetic field as possible.  Opening is also very important
as once the energy is in the secondary coil we don't want it trying to
"collapse" back into the primary inductor where the constructive and
destructive interference effects tend to retard the incoming energy -- or
just become resistive losses -- either way it is energy lost that isn't
available for resonance effects in the secondary coil where it belongs.

I'm coming out to Calif. the last week of April so will try to look you up.

DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net


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> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: 'Tesla List' <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Spark Gaps
> Date: Saturday, April 11, 1998 7:39 PM
> 
> 
> ----------
> From:  John H. Couture [SMTP:couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-net]
> Sent:  Saturday, April 11, 1998 2:28 PM
> To:  Tesla List
> Subject:  Re: Spark Gaps
> 
> 
>   All-
> 
>   I agree with Antonio. Why is the Tesla coil called an air core
transformer
> if it operates as an induction coil?
> 
>   It is my understanding that the Tesla coil utilizes dampened waves and
> resonance. The spark gap characteristics should optimize this type of
> operation. The spark gap CLOSING is important for Tesla coils (Peak of
the
> voltage wave). The spark gap OPENING is important for induction coils
(di/dt).  
> 
>   But why is quenching important for Tesla coils? The times that
quenching
> occurs are certainly different with fixed gaps compared to rotary gaps.
One
> should be better than the other.
> 
>   John Couture
> 
> ------------------------------------------------
> 
> At 11:56 PM 4/9/98 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >----------
> >From:  Antonio C. M. de Queiroz [SMTP:acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br]
> >Sent:  Thursday, April 09, 1998 1:11 PM
> >To:  Tesla List
> >Subject:  Re: Spark Gaps
> >
> >Jim Lux wrote:
> >
> >> 3) Faster interruption of the spark. As opposed to just waiting for
the
> >> current to go through a zero, the gap is physically separated. The
sudden
> >> circuit opening causes the voltage across the primary inductor to
rise,
> >> inducing a similar rise in the secondary. The faster the interruption
> >> (di/dt) the more the rise.
> >
> >Do this really work? This would be like operating a Tesla coil as an
> >induction coil. The theory saying that there is a great increase in the
> >secondary voltage or a two-coil system after the opening of the spark
> >gap (Corums) may be due to this effect (otherwise I don't see how).
> >
> >Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz
> >http://www.coe.ufrj.br/~acmq
> >
> >
> >
> >
>