Re: On sparks

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

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

In a message dated 3/29/01 10:20:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

>  If I can dope out how best to wire that 5th section
>  > into a 3-turn primary configuration, I may take a shot at that; I think
>  > the MOSFETs would stand the current.  That will raise the ampere-turns by
>  > ~5/4 and surely make the spark longer--but to what extent, who knows?
>  > 

Ken,

In the pulse duration test, did you compare the results for toroid breakout,
vs. pointed rod breakout?   I remember that for normal operation, your
sparks were the same for toroid breakout vs. pointed rod breakout.  
I'm wondering if a short duration such as you tested would cause
some sort of difference to be seen between the two situations.  Also,
it would seem that with the point-type breakout situation, such
high ititial peak powers would not need to be developed to cause
breakout.  I always find any possible differences in behavior
between toroid breakout vs. point breakout, for different situations
to be an interesting issue, because it may give clues as to what's
happening.

John