Observations - Gaps and Arcs

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Observations - Gaps and Arcs
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 22:37:54 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

----------
From:  Marco Denicolai [SMTP:marco-at-vistacom.fi]
Sent:  Thursday, July 02, 1998 1:08 AM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  Re: Observations - Gaps and Arcs

At 23:11 01/07/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>Date: Wednesday, July 01, 1998 4:28 PM
>Subject: Observations - Gaps and Arcs
>
>        I use a series of copper pipe sections mounted on a straight piece
>of wood as a spark gap.  I made another last night that had three times the
>spacing between the sections.  The pipe diameter was larger but I don't
>think that had much effect.  I found that with larger spacing the quenching
>was much worse!
>
>"Old Gap"
>7 spaces at 7 mil each with 1/2" pipe
>
>"New Gap"
>3 spaces at 24 mil each with 3/4" pipe
>
>The firing voltage in each case was about 7400 volts peak producing about a
>200kV output.
>
>        The quenching of the new gap was terrible!  The old gap almost
>always quenched at the first zero current crossing.  The new gap often went
>through 5 nodes before it quenched (actually the system just ran down).
>This strongly suggests that many very small gaps are much better than a few
>larger ones.  I think gaps less than 5 mil will clog up so there is a limit
>how small the gaps can be.  

Terry, that is just my spark gap: 3 spaces at 0.7 mm (27 mil) and also my peak 
volts is about 7KV. Besides improved quenching (with 7 mil gaps) did you get
also longer sparks or more sparks from the toroid?
I mean, what are the practical benefits for me to go for the 7 mil gaps?
(This maybe a stupid question, I know...)



________________________________________________________________________

 Marco Denicolai                   Vista Communication Instruments, Inc.
 Hardware Development Manager      www.vistacom.fi   

 marco-at-vistacom.fi                 Kaisaniemenkatu 13 A
 fax:    +358-9-622-5610           SF-00100 HELSINKI
 phone:  +358-9-622-623-15         Finland

   Remember, Murphy was an optimist! I am not...
________________________________________________________________________