Re: TC Sparks and Arcs (Was - High Voltage Snubber caps

["sundog" <sundog-at-timeship-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Hi all!

Just my $.02 (wow, I though I'd be broke with all these $.02 going
out all the time!)

  Spark....A little (or big) single-shot purple to white discharge
between 2 points... static zap, lightening, VanDeGraff, ignition
coil, etc...

  Arc... a continious discharge between 2 points....an arc between
neon tranny leads, a MOT powerarc, arc welder, etc...

   Streamer....Bullying enough electrons off of a conductive
surface so you get a "single ended arc", it's only connected at 1
end, the other wanders about looking for a ground till it runs out
of energy

   Corona...A small (usually) seething mass of teeny-tiny little
streamers.  The purple glow on SW caps, the "purple fuzz" on a
transmission line from a TC topload.  Corona happens easiest in
air, and is what kill home-rolled caps by breaking down the poly we
used (past tense, everybody should use commercial pulse caps or
MMC's ;), so that the plates can arc to each other.  Unless you're
wanting to create it, corona is a Bad Thing(tm), because it means
you're leaking your HV out of your circuit.

  Corona...also a pretty good beer.  And like the electrical
corona, it's fairly unwanted and detrimental to TC work.  Make
streamers and arcs first, then experience the liquid corona :)

Yep, a 54" arc is possible.  A good, big TC can put out a 54" arc
to a grounded target.  for a transformer to pull a nice thick
yellow arc for 54", you'd probably need an obscene amount of
amperage on a 15kv transformer to maintain the arc.  Be fun to see
though...a 20 ft tall Jacob's ladder stretching out a 4.5' arc at
the top.

BzzzzZZZZZZZZT!  BzzzzzZZZZZZZZZT!  Yeah baby!  I'd buy a ticket to
see that!

                                            Caio!
                                                    Sundog
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Saturday, July 29, 2000 2:48 PM
Subject: Re: TC Sparks and Arcs (Was - High Voltage Snubber caps


>Original poster: Parpp807-at-aol-dot-com
>
>In a message dated 7/28/00 8:57:51 PM Central Daylight Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>writes:
>
><< To All -
>
> What are the definitions and differences  between sparks, arcs,
streamers,
> corona, etc. Is a 54 inch arc possible?
>
> John Couture
>  >>
>