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Re: Re: Spark Plugs

On Fri, 18 Feb 2000 Tesla List  wrote:
> Original Poster: "Jon Lagler" <rockcrawl-at-netzero-dot-net> 
> 
> My comments below
> 
> > Original Poster: "Thomas McGahee" <tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com>
> >
> > The spark plugs in a car are designed to ignite fuel. The spark gap in a
> > Tesla coil is designed to conduct massive amounts of current and then
> > quickly quench. They are both spark gaps, just as a candle flame and
> > the flame coming out of a flame thrower are both flames.
> >
> > Using a car spark plug as the spark gap in a Tesla coil will work,
> > but it does not work WELL. Neither will it survive too long as a Tesla
> > coil spark gap!
> >
> > Fr. Tom McGahee
> 
> Tom,
>  I agree that for a pig powered coil, the spark plugs may not last very
> long, but for any NST powered coil, they are a very easy and economic way to
> go. I can replace all my gaps in about 2 minutes for a cost of about $6. So
> far I have not needed to replace them at all, and performance is great. I'd
> much rather re-gap 8 spark plugs than clean and re-set a bunch of copper
> pipes.  Ever hear of GM's 100,000 mile tuneup? at 60mph thats 1666 hours of
> operation. Even at .1% of that efficiency, they would last 1.6 hours. A good
> automotive ignition system fires each plug at about 40,000v/and up to 1 amp.
> You can do the rest of the math. For Ted's 15kv/60mA NST, I think spark
> plugs will work great. What makes two copper pipes quench better than a
> spark plug?
>  I am by no means a TC expert, in fact I am a beginner. I do know that in my
> own experience, spark plugs work well in TC opperation. If anyone would like
> to correct me on any of my statements, please do so. I'd like to build an
> "RQ" gap and compare it to my spark plug gap.
> 
> Just my opinion,
> Jon
> 
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> 
Hello Tom,

I'am also not a TC expert. I made 2 of them, but did not a good job (Heck,
internet had to born in that days!). I did pay attention on school though.
  
I can tell from experience that the car iginition coils I played with (in
my early days), that the primary coil mediocer current was about 5A. So the
consumed power was about: 12*5 = 60VA. Assuming Pp=Ps -> I = 60/40.000 =
1.5 mA!
This corresponds with my experience with the light intensity of the sparks
and not to forget the 'personal touch'. I still among you guys! 1 Amp will
kill you, you know. So, there are two possibilities: in the time I was
doing other things than fooling around with car coils (making kids and
innocent things like that) there was a huge developement or you are
misinformt (is that a good word for it by the way?). An 8 cylinder would
need a very impressive electrical generator, check it out: 8 * 40.000 * 1 =
320 kW! Mama heeeelp, the chevy will start but not drive!!!

The dimensions of a spark plug are not dominated by the sparks, but by the
engine heath! Under all conditions the plug must close the cylinder. With a
temperature difference of about 400-500 degrees Celcius between a cold
engine and one which is running top speed this is a hell of a job. A spark
plug is also not designed to get rid of the heath and theoratical it will
not be easy to quence hot air.

But hey, where are we talking about. In the time I composed this message
anybody could made a test (Assuming one have one that is. I'am still
collecting things for the third TC). That's the beauty of a TC, never done
with the job!

Ruud de Graaf
Greetings from lovely and wet Holland (also called... The Netherlands)