Re: Many Things...

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Many Things...
From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 17:27:49 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme



> 
> Now that's an interesting point - Does high altitude make a significant
> difference for the gap setting?

> 
> You're at the top of the state, but I'm at the midpoint (Crestone, Sangre
> de Cristo mountain chain, 50 miles south of Salida) and the altitude
> here is 8000 feet. 

YES... as a rule of thumb, breakdown voltage for a given gap varies
linearly as the pressure.  Since the pressure at 8000 feet is about 73%
that of sealevel, the breakdown voltage will be 73% of the sealevel
breakdown, for the same gap length.
> 
> I'm also curious what kind of grounding system you use for your coils
> in this rocky, dry soil of Colorado?

The grounding system is really only relevant in the near field of the TC...
You want a low impedance (high conductivity) ground to serve as the other
"plate" of the top load.  If you were to have a plate the diameter of which
was twice the height of the top of the TC above it, it would probably work
pretty well.