Re: Geek Gap Mark-1

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

On 13 Apr 01, at 12:45, Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
> <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>
> 
> Hi all list members; Geek #1 and company.  Hey, you know what?   We
> tried our two 15/60 modified neon supply into our 6" dia.x23" tall
> coil with our array of barium titanate caps, and you know what?  IF we
> detune our coil by about 1 turn on the primary(more or less).  We
> found that the spark output from the top terminal has the same length.
>  In other words, all that big fat toriod on top of your Tesla is doing
> is  just making the spark look more impressive by moving the actual
> discharge of the top of the secondary to a plane that is simply
> further from the center of the coil itself, in relationship to the
> largeness of topload you apply.   IMO the spark length is the same
> with or without a toroid.  We can now see that if the coil is tuned
> properly that it will give the same size spark output regardless of
> the toroid.  It is simply a matter of tuning the tank for optimum
> output.   We can get a 6 foot multiple nasty spark off our secondary
> using a 1/4" toggle bolt as a topload.  And if we wish , then we can
> set up the primary tuning to accommodate a giant 6"x24"toroid to get
> the same amount of spark.  Then we lay up and tune the coil for an
> additional 6"x24" toroid atop the first one.  The double toriods look
> mighty impressive, but the spark length as rated tuned output from the
> secondary is the same!    The Toroid size does not seem to have any
> impact on our coil at all.  We found that our coils do NOT need a
> monster topload for maximum output.  We can tune it to produce nasty
> sparks that just grow and grapple for the upper atmosphere with no
> topload at all. Could this be a result of the barium titanate cap tank
> we are using?  No, I think not!  We seem to see a mass multitude
> trying to get bigger sparks from their coils with a bigger topload.
> But what we have found with our experimentation,  that is not the case
> at all!  I think all that most coilers are doing is deceiving
> themselves by exaggerating the amount of spark they get from a toroid
> topload.  Yeah, a big fat nasty looking toroid!   A 2" brass ball on
> your secondary would give just as much spark.  The toriods just extend
> the spark area....    Maybe the perceived extension of spark on the
> secondary is just a matter of good tuning!   I think too many list
> members swear by the toroid topload.  I think it is baloney!   Tune
> well and give top Capacitance to the air around you! Reach out and you
> shall receive!    JMO.   Al 

An interesting test would be to use the same primary coupled to the 
same value of k with two different secondaries, one which is tuned 
with a topload and one which tunes correctly without. Have you done 
this? One thing that does happen when one fits a larger topload is 
that the primary inductance is increased to maintain tune and that 
does lower primary losses to a degree.

Malcolm