Re: Fluorescent Lamps

["Barton B. Anderson" <tesla123-at-pacbell-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Hi Ted, All, 

Tesla list wrote: 
>
> Original poster: "Metlicka Marc" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net> 
>
> ted, 
> this is a very good question, i have had small coils light every 
> florescent tube in the house, and large coils not light a tube three 
> feet away?

It depends on the rf energy, the field around the coil particularly the top
terminal. I ran my 13" x 45" coil this last 4th of July using 2 florescent
bulbs pulled out of the garage lighting. I took a water hose and with the
pressure, dug 2 holes about 5" deep. Stuck lights in the holes (lights pointing
strait up - about 6 ft away from coil or so). They glowed pretty bright all
night and of course when hit by a streamer, glowed intensely white. Makes great
pictures! (I sort immitating Robert Stevens great pics - if any of you have
seen some of his). 

Now, I've done this before with the same coil in the garage and barely got them
to glow (but, power levels are much lower in the garage). The rf field is
smaller. I know the toroid I was using in both cases is too small for this coil
and a larger toroid "should" make them glow brighter due to increased RF. But
in this case, the power level and the e-field shaping around the coil probably
is a factor for consideration. BTW, the lights used on the 4th were put right
back up in the light fictures still working perfectly. 

Bart