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Re: Tesla Coil toroid Size


  Bart -

  The ionization (Stark effect) and length of the spark path in air is
dependent on the potential (voltage). The current gives the spark path its
characteristics such as a brilliant white core, etc. The initial high
voltage to create the spark will last for only a very short interval of
time. The voltage then drops to the low values characteristic of arcs. The
spark is high potential phenomenon and the arc is low potential phenomenom.
Corona is the third type of electrical phenomenom in air.

  Power is the product of voltage times current. Power is not involved at
the initial spark creation but only after the current starts flowing in the
ionized path. A small amount of power will give a thread like spark and a
large amount of power will give those impressive blinding sparks.

  Advanced coilers apparently pick toroids on a random basis and to tune
the Tesla coil. The JHCTES computer program shows a recommended toroid
capacitance based on empirical data from coilers and to agree with the size
of the coil being designed. The program also automatically tunes the
system. However, this is not an explanation of why spark length increases
with a larger toroid. 

  John Couture

------------------------------------



At 07:13 AM 9/5/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Original Poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <mopar-at-uswest-dot-net> 
>
>
>
>Tesla List wrote:
>
>> Original Poster: "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-net>
>>
>>   To All -
>>
>>   In the past several coilers have said that increasing the size of the
>> toroid increased the output spark length. Did they understand what their
>> tests were telling them?
>>
>>   The toroid capacitance is found in the equations
>>
>>   Vs = sqrt(2J/Cs)  Vs = Vp sqrt(Cp/Cs)  Cs= Ccoil + Ctoroid
>>
>>   These equations indicate the output voltage (Vs) or spark length would
>> decrease, not increase, if the Cs (toroid capacitance) was increased.
>
>John,
>
>As you stated, it has been proven by tests. You are correct that Vs decreases
>in the equations above (and probably in the real world tests). Current on the
>otherhand must increase if power out remains constant, and still, there may
>not
>be enough power to breakout of a larger toroid without increasing voltage or
>current settings. It appears that current is responsible for sparklength
>and Vs
>is responsible for the ionization of the spark channel.
>Bart
>
>
>