Re: Primary Q - A Brain Teaser

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: Primary Q - A Brain Teaser
• From: "James" <elgersmad-at-email.msn-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
• Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 20:46:30 -0700
• Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

>Original Poster: Jim Lux <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov>
>
>Tesla List wrote:
>>
>> Original Poster: ElectronX-at-aol-dot-com
>>
>> What conditions cause the losses in the spark gap to be V*I rather thn
>I^2*R?
>> This is new to me.
>>
>> Matt Behrend
>
>Spark gaps have a fixed voltage drop ("cathode drop) of anywhere from 10
>to 100 volts, and a negative resistance characteristic as well. The loss
>in the gap will probably be better modeled by a fixed voltage rather
>than a resistance.
>
Do you think that the negative resistance is a combination of stray
capacitance, and a result of a high current discharge?  First the dielectric
of air forcing the space between the gap to charge, then a leader, then the
highest number of electrons in nano seconds jumps the gap superheating the
air, then finalizing the arc through the superheated channel.

    Watching a Jacob's ladder throw arcs I noticed something, the highest
energy of the arc is the very edge of it's beginings, heat discharges the
rest, before the dielectric of a gas can recover the temperature may have
made it's resistance very low.  Has anyone contemplated building a submersed
spark gap, to fix the jacobs ladder problem?.

• Prev: Re: primary coil wire
• Next: Re: Beginner's Tesla coil -First Light!
• Index(es):
  • Main
  • Thread