RE: Spark gap...

To: tesla-at-PUPMAN-dot-com
Subject: RE: Spark gap...
From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 12:52:49 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

There are two ways to interpret "wider", not sure which you meant:

1)	It you mean the distance between the gaps, the total separation of
all gaps determines the voltage to which your cap will charge.  If you make
your gaps wider, your cap will charge to a higher voltage.  Coil performance
increases with increasing cap voltage, but so does premature cap and NST
death.
2)	If you mean the length of the copper pipes, I think that only has a
bearing on how much power the gap can handle.  Longer pipes will dissipate
heat better.

As to airflow, I have found that airflow below a certain amount results in
very poor performance, and above that point, it doesn't really matter too
much.  PSI is irrelevant.  What matters is how well the air is distributed
so that the arcing channels are ventilated.

Regards, Gary Lau
Waltham, MA USA

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
		Sent:	Wednesday, August 18, 1999 9:19 PM
		To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
		Subject:	Spark gap...

		Original Poster: Erthwin-at-aol-dot-com 

		I asked this question once before but never did get an
answer, so here it is 
		again>>>

		I've built a RQ style air blast gap, slightly modified so I
could use parts I 
		already had but it works the same way. My question is this:
would the coil 
		benefit more from me making the gap wider and using low psi
(20-30) 
		essentially to cool the gap, or would it be better to make a
smaller gap with 
		large psi (100-150) where the air itself is quenching the
gap? Thanks.

		Left, left I hadda good brain but it left...
		---Daniel