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Re: Measuring Spark Distances (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 04 Aug 1998 21:13:30 -0700
From: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Measuring Spark Distances (fwd)
DR.RESONANCE wrote:
> You will get
> the longest sparks with no tack because it will allow the toroid to charge
> to a higher potential before discharge.
I believe that this is true, but it is frequently possible to obtain sparks
with the same maximum length, more frequently, by "exciting" them. Try to
suspend a small metal ball with an insulating line and move it between the
coil terminal and the grounded terminal. I didn't try this with a Tesla coil,
but this works very well with electrostatic generators. At a particular distance
(always close to the positive terminal in that case), sparks with the maximum
possible length cross the gap frequently, using the ball as a bridge.
Sparks close to the limit are probably naturally excited by random dust particles
or ionized areas in the air. The ball just provides systematic excitation.
Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz