Re: Safety gap electrodes

["Bert Hickman" <bert.hickman-at-xxxxxxxxxx> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-xxxxxxxxxx>)]

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Gregory Hunter" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> 
> Forgive me for breaking into the middle of a thread,
> but has anyone ever tried using a jacob's ladder for a
> safety gap?  Seems like it would be naturally
> self-quenching, and all you'd need is a couple of
> stiff solid copper wires or perhaps a couple of scraps
> of Cu tube.
> 
> Just a thought.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Greg
> 

Greg,

In fact, that's exactly what I use for my safety gap - two side by side
"horn gaps" with the grounded vertical center electrode and two side
electrodes heading at angles away from the center electrode. 

A picture of the safety gap can be seen in the third picture in the
"Associated Equipment" section of my website at
(http://www.teslamania-dot-com). I used 1/4" diameter brass rods as the
electrodes, but other materials should work just as well. And, the
safety gaps work exactly the way that similar overvoltage gaps work in
the power industry - and they do indeed self quench!

-- Bert --