Re: SG electrodes

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

Original poster: "will dork by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <vcdmasta-at-hotmail-dot-com>


Also, with your spark gap you could but these type of balls you are talking
about at:

 

www. rossengineeringcorp-dot-com

This place sells only HV parts, and they sell premade spark gaps. But dont buy
one already made as the can be almost $1500!! Instead buy their non melting
carbon ball that have threads, this way making a pro looking spark gap only
with duying these balls, some acrillic to house it in, and something to hold
the balls. Take not though, these balls are not cheap, anywhere from 25-40
dollars a piece, due to their great ability to handle heat.

Also, i was wondering if anyone was interested in trying a group buy from this
place. If you buy only 1 toroid, it cost about $200, but if we go enough people
we could probably lower the price significantly. Well, any comments welcome.

 

Thanks

Wil McManus

 

 
>Original poster: "Mike Novak by way of Terry Fritz " 
> 
>Hello All, 
> 
>I've been making several spark gaps lately and got to thinking about 
>electrode shape/material. 
>I made a simple safety gap for a small cap bank using two brass barbs spaced 
>about 1" apart. I noticed that the electrodes dissipate a much larger amount 
>of heat than my main SG (consisting of 7 solid brass electrodes 1/2" in 
>diameter, 2 inches long sandwiched in between two pieces of oak clamped down 
>by four 1/4"-20 screws). The safety gap fires about once every two or three 
>seconds and exhibits about two times the wear of any one of my main SG 
>electrodes. I'm thinking this is because the safety gap is spaced further 
>apart thus creating excessive heat due to increased gap losses (seeing as 
>the arc spends more time in the air.) is this correct? 
>So I'm thinking, if one were to make their spark gap electrodes rounded 
>(even hemispherical) then the heating and overall gap losses would be 
>reduced. Would this effect be noticable on a SRSG ? I was thinking of 
>rounding my electrodes, but I thought I might bring it up before ruining a 
>perfectly good set of tungsten electrodes. Is there anything wrong with my 
>assumption? 
>Also, would it be easier on the tank gap if the safety electrodes were 
>pointed? The gap losses would be raised and the tank cap wouldn't see such a 
>violent surge... 
>Another point I thought I'd touch on is the material of which the electrodes 
>are made of. For one thing, I don't see why everyone insists on using top 
>dollar tungsten electrodes on coils less than 5-10kW. The SRSGs I've seen 
>have VERY little heating. I don't see why one couldn't use aluminum or any 
>other low loss conductor for that matter. The gap mentioned above had small 
>deposits of carbon on the sparking surfaces, but other than that, showed no 
>sign of wear. The carbon deposits can be wiped off with one's finger... 
>Although it should be noted that the coil was running 500 VA with a STR cap. 
>It seems to me that gaps really need to evolve at this point. I'll be taking 
>part in some inert gas SG research over the next few months depending on 
>time/money. Does anyone have any suggestions as far as gases and electrodes 
>here? 
> 
>Keep on thinkin'... 
> 
> 
>-Mike Novak 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 


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