Re: Quench vs Output/CSN

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Quench vs Output/CSN
From: "Malcolm Watts" <malcolm.watts-at-wnp.ac.nz> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 13:30:16 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hi all,

> Original Poster: "Harvey Norris" <tesla4-at-excite-dot-com> 
> 
> n another note:  In Tesla's Colorado Springs notes on his entry for August
> > 31, 1899 he mentions the following:
> > 
> > "Light seems to interfere decidedly with the streamers from ball and wire
> > and it is also unmistakable noted that the noise of the discharge is
> > lessened when sunlight falls upon the apparatus."
> > 
> > I was just wondering if anyone has ever noticed that having a coil out in
> > the sun decreases performance as Tesla noted.  I would think the bright
> > sunlight and perhaps greater ambient noise of daytime would account for
> > this observation.  However, if there were something like humidity or the
> UV
> > of sunlight affecting streamer formation, it would be interesting...
> > 
> > Cheers,
> Yes I found this entry amazing myself when reading the Colorado Spring
> Notes.                                        Earlier having built a 10 foot
> diameter coil outside I thought it was my imagination
> that it seemed to work better in the evening. Of course sunlight also
> obscures
> corona discharge which leads one to suspect an optical illusion. However I
> think
> it is not the sunlight but condition of the ground that seems better in the
> evening.

<snip>

       I think Tesla's observation is quite real. Even non-UV light can 
influence the breakdown voltage of a neon indicator lamp. Why 
should the ground be any different in the evening?

Malcolm