RE: Spark Gaps

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

Original poster: "Troy D. Taylor by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <troy-at-ezcoding-dot-com>

John,

Thanks!  Thats what I want. :)  I am building a table top design for public
displays for a traveling Physics Road Show and then another bigger one for
myself/garage. :)

Thanks again for the info/reference!

Troy

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 11:25 AM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Spark Gaps


Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 1/25/01 9:51:00 AM Eastern Standard Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:

>
>  > Its going to be a "mini" tesla coil - table top size.  I have a 15/60
>  > Franceformer for the supply.  What is the cheapest/quickest spark gap I
>  > could use without running the risk for hosing the NST?  Could someone
give
>  > me a reference to spark gaps?
>  >
>  > I noticed most sites just sorta skip over how they made their "simple"
> spark
>  > gap. While they go into great deal on their rotary ones. :)  I also
heard
>  > discussion that a rotary is not ideal for a NST.
>  >
>  > Thanks!
>  >
>  > Troy
>

Troy,

Since you want the coil to be a tabletop type, and because I suppose
you want to use this NST because you have it on hand....  You
may want to deliberately build the coil to be somewhat inefficient to
limit the spark lengths so they don't hit the ceiling, etc.

The spark length can be limited by using a narrow gap setting,
and using a small secondary, and toroid, etc.  I know a coiler
who made his secondary 4" by 16" wound with 26awg, he used
a 4 section static gap with 1/16" gap spacings, and a 4" ball on
top of the coil.  I forget the cap size, but he used salt water caps.
The coil gave nice 21" sparks.  He used a 15/60 NST.  In a very
efficient design, such an NST can give 60" to 65" sparks, but
his design limited the sparks to 21".

I discuss efficient coils at:

    http://hometown.aol-dot-com/futuret/page3.html

John