Re: Aluminum electrodes in TCBOR static gap

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: Aluminum electrodes in TCBOR static gap
• From: Jan Florian Wagner <jwagner-at-cc.hut.fi> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1999 18:44:22 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hi

On Wed, 13 Oct 1999, Tesla List wrote:
> This leads me to believe that aluminum is a very poor conductor at high
> voltage levels. I'm still puzzled on why it worked well in the first few
> seconds, but then stopped. I looked at the spray pattern and it doesn't
> seem to have anything that would stop or impede spark movement. 

I'm far from being an expert on this, but I'd suspect a top layer of Al
has oxidized to non-conductive (or for HV to high resistance) Al2O3. 
Happens very easily and very fast even at "lower" temperatures - I know
this from blasting an aluminium pencil sharpener over a small flame... ;o)

Maybe sanding the aluminium parts will make it once again work 30 seconds
more? Other possibility is that the cap has broken down?

--
*************************************************
 Jan Florian Wagner
 jwagner-at-cc.hut.fi, petwag-at-kolumbus.fi
 http://members.xoom-dot-com/DSH/CTHP

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