Re: RQ gaps was -JF efficiency theory (again)

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

Original poster: "bob golding by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <yubba-at-clara-dot-net>

HI David ,all,
    I have definitely noticed degradation of my TCBOR/RQ gap. A picture of
one of my
electrodes is at hot streamer. I hadn't thought about the burnt PVC being
the cause
of the lower efficiency. I am running 2.5/3 KW though it with a 1 kw fan
but if it
is tracking along the pvc this might be the cause. Thanks David.

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/hot%20gap.jpg

cheers
bob golding

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<Tesla729-at-cs-dot-com>
>
> In a message dated 2/18/01 7:17:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> writes:
>
> <<  My static gap is starting to show signs of
>  < being overpowered and I can't recommend using a similar TCBOR/RQ gap on a
>  < coil any bigger than mine.  I have no way of measuring input power to my
>  < coil.  The NST produces 200ma out at 120VAC input but I have been running
> it
>  < at 140VAC lately. >>
>
> Hey Ross, all,
>
> You mentioning RQ style gaps has reminded me of a question
> that I had about these gaps that I have been wanting to post to
> the list for a while. This may have been covered in the past, but
> if it was, I must have slept thru that class :-) I've constructed one
> of these in the past and ran a medium sized NST system with it.
> I also utilized a "Dirt Devil" vacuum cleaner motor for forced-air
> cooiling of the copper tube electrodes. The question I have is has
> anyone else noticed browning of the PVC pipe support between
> the copper tube spark gap electrodes, where the sparks blaze
> against the PVC? I've heard that PVC is susceptable to UV radi-
> ation and I've noticed that the browned areas are electrically
> weaker and tend to want to flashover more than the unstained
> areas of the PVC. BTW, I was running (3) 15/30s in parallel with
> an 18 nFD primary cap. The gap worked good at quenching the
> arc for a couple of hours of continuous operation, but after a while
> it started giving some problems due to this discoloration of the
> PVC between the SG electrodes (namely, a loud flashover that
> crawled over the surface of the discolored area of the PVC between
> the electrodes, and can be heard over the regular SG sound). I
> was just wanting to see if any of thge other coilers had noticed this
> effect.
>
> David Rieben