Re: First THOR measurement results

[FutureT-at-xxxxxxx (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-xxxxxxxxxx>)]

In a message dated 11/2/00 10:52:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

> 3. With no copper stick I have difficulties to get any streamer at all. This
>  makes me think that I don't generate enough potential at the secondary to
>  breakout. The toroid r.o.c. is a little too big. But my RSG is unable to
>  quench!!! See the snapshot!

Marco,

I agree that you need more potential to help the sparks break out,
a better quench may help some by giving the cap more time to
charge for the next bang perhaps, if the quench is really bad.
I was not able to access the webpage.

>  
>  Question:
>  - do you agree with me about the above?
>  - I think that if I could quench the RSG I could accumulate more charge on 
> the
>  toroid, reach the actual breakout threshold and get longer streamers 
WITHOUT
>  NEEDING THE ROD: do you agree?

Faster quench may give more time for cap charging.  Other than
that aspect, I don't think the fast quench will help break out otherwise.
I don't agree with the Corum's view that the energy builds up after
the quench or anything like that.

>  - in order to better the quenching, shouldn't I add a fixed SG set in 
series 
> to
>  the RSG? Wouldn't that be OK?

That is OK to do, and yes, it can help the quench.  Another easy
way to improve the quench is to simply loosen the coupling.

>  
>  
>  Question 2
>  ---------------
>  The performance of Thor (spark length) decreases quite rapidly within 15-30
>  seconds. This is expecially noticeable without the copper rod placed on the
>  toroid: then streamers are quite rare and stop coming within 10-15 seconds.
>  What
>  might be the reason? I suppose the RSG overheating and crippling the 
> quenching
>  or what? I have already heard of this kind of behaviour but I can't recall 
> what
>  was the explanation. Anybody?

This overheating commonly occurs using a static gap which overheats
and fires at a lower voltage which reduces the bang size.  I haven't
seen this occur with rotaries, but I've heard of others having the
problem.  Yes, as you say, the rotary electrodes if they get too
hot refuse to quench, and give the capacitor less time to charge,
which reduces the bang size and the spark output.

John Freau


>