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Re: Advanced Spark Gap Technology


Gary:

Doesn't the spark discharge produce enough heat (even with forced air
cooling) to start to melt the PE gasket/separators?

I made some similar to this once.  I used 3/4 inch dia. brass washers and
made the insulating spacers of G-10 phenolic which isn't easily effected by
heat from the spark.

Regards,

Dr. Resonance



-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Friday, February 04, 2000 10:18 PM
Subject: Re: Advanced Spark Gap Technology


>Original Poster: Dan Kline <ntesla-at-ntesla.csd.sc.edu>
>
>At 10:32 PM 2/3/00 -0700, you wrote:
>>Original Poster: gweaver <gweaver-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>>
>>I have been experementing with spark gaps.  I made several paper funnels
to
>>reduce the area of a box fan and increase the air velocity.  I reduced a
4"
>>box fan down to 3", 2", 1.75", 1.5" and I checked the air velocity with
the
>>air flow meter that I borrowed from work.
>
>Which one worked the best?
>
>>I built a spark gap using 10 flat copper plates 2" x 2" each.  The copper
>>plates are made from roofing flashing from the lumber yard.  I cut the
>>plates with tin snips and filed the edges smooth.   I clamped all the
plates
>>together in a stack and drilled a .150 diameter hole threw the entire
stack
>>of plates in each corner.  4 places.
>>
>>I flattened each copper plate by placing it between 2 blocks of steel 1"
>>thick 2" square and hitting it with a 2 pound hammer.
>>
>>I used 2 paper punches to punch out some .006 mil polyethylene flat
washers
>>with a .150 diameter hole in the center.  4 washers in a stack gives me a
>>.024 space between each plate.  I put spacers on all 4 corners. Its all
held
>>together with 4 plastic screws with plastic hex nuts on each corner.
>>
>>The finished spark gap is about 1/2" thick 2" square with a wire soldered
on
>>each outside plate.  The spark gap is taped to the end of a paper funnel
and
>>the funnel is taped to the end of a box fan.
>>
>>I ran this for about 20 minutes on a 750 watt coil and it works better
than
>>my RQ gap with the same box fan.  The flat copper plates act like a
radiator
>>and keep the spark gap cool.  The air tends to blow most of the sparks to
>>the back half of copper plates.
>>
>>Its small, compact and easy to build.  I think it would be easier to build
>>if the plates were made out of thicker metal so they won't need to be
>>flattened.  Some 1/16" aluminum plates will probably work fine.  Wires can
>>be attached to stake on terminals and put under the head of the plactic
>>screw on one plate and another terminal under the hex nut on the other
plate.
>
>I've thought about building gaps like this a lot, especially after reading
>old articles about building quenched gaps and stuff like that, but I never
>could think of a spacer that wouldn't end up either conducting, getting a
>carbon track, or breaking from heat-stress. The old designs used mica as
>the spacer. But shoot, even if it *did* track, it would be so easy to
fix...:)
>I think I'll give this a shot. Could you describe the fan/funnel/gap setup
>a little more?
>Thanks,
>Dan
>
>>Gary Weaver
>
>
>
>