Re: multigap

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

Original poster: "Charles Hobson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <charles.a.hobson-at-btinternet-dot-com>

Original poster: "Dr. Duncan Cadd by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <dunckx-at-freeuk-dot-com>

Hello Dunckx

Thanks for your comments. Regarding the following:

>The only thing which does, well, not exactly worry me (OK it worries
>me) is that with the tubes at right angles, the actual 'contact'
>surface area where the sparks strike is going to be very small.  In
>practice you may find this makes absolutely no difference whatsoever,
>but I just wonder whether intense local oxidation will cause muck
>build up so rapidly that they tend to short.  Time and experience will
>no doubt tell.

I used 8mm tubing the 2mm stiff wire soldered to them in my fist attempt. It
ran for about 3 minutes before  the solder melted. The tubes were
discoloured due to the heat generated, but no pitting or muck was observed.
It polished nicely to copper finish very quickly. So I went to the 16mm
tubes with fasteners for the stiff wire supports as described  on my web
page
gif. . I have been using it for several days and my coil performance has
astonished me. The tubes were very luke warm after 2 minutes on continuos
use.  No muck build up yet after several days of play although there is some
discolouring due to the localised heat. Have a look at
http://www.charles.a.hobson.btinternet.co.uk/sp_gp1.jpg.

I think the 16mm tubes at right angles behave like 16mm spheres facing each
other. I have difficulty visualizing in 3-D, perhaps you can comment on
that. Anyway, I will keep a beady eye on them for muck build up.

Regards Chuck