Re: Phantom Arcs

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Phantom Arcs
From: Robert Volk <smrtmny2-at-earthlink-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 17:11:20 -0700
Approved: twf-at-verinet-dot-com

Carl,
It's no surprise that a regular OBIT transformer didn't produce the same
effects. If you look at Tesla's patent on the bifilar coil, the strength
is dramatically different than a regular one.

Bob Volk

> 
> This probably came from one of Tesla's lectures, "Experiments with
> Alternate Currents of High Potential and High Frequency" (1891), where he
> described what he called "phantom streams" encountered with an early
> bipolar coil. He writes "a most curious form of discharge is observed
> when the frequency and potential are pushed to the extreme limit...to
> perform the experiment...only two small spheres...or sharp-edged metal
> discs [connected to the terminals of the bipolar coil] no more than a few
> cm. in diameter should be exposed to air...It occurs under these
> conditions that misty white streamers break forth from the edges of the
> discs and spread out phantom-like into space." I actually tried to
> reproduce this effect with a conventional, monopolar OBIT-powered coil I
> built a few years ago, but could not see anything comparable to the
> description. That's very interesting that you have seen it. Perhaps
> someone else on the list knows about the "phantom streams"?? While you
> describe your setup pretty well, it might have been easier to remember
> the details if you had just seen the effects rather than waiting till now
> to bring it up.
> -Carl Willis