triggered gaps

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

Original poster: "Metlicka Marc by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>

all,
in my beginning tests on the triggered spark gaps, i have found that a
dimmer and ford ignition coil works very well for the trigger source. my
only problem has been the coil getting hot very quickly?
for the test gap i used two carbide points and a 5\30 nst connected
across them. i now tried another carbide point for the trigger electrode
(tungsten wire was burning up).
without the trigger i could initiate a 1/4" arc between the electrodes,
with the trigger i could initiate and maintain up to 1/2" gap. i spread
the main electrodes to 1" with the trigger point centered and just off
of the arc path, with the dimmer at it's lowest setting the triggered
fired the gap at a steady 120 fires per second on my scope.
i will now try a fan for quenching, installing a cap and putting it on a
coil.
might be a lighter alternative to a sync. gap?
of coarse with the fine work terry's doing on the ssgap, it may all be
for not?
marc m.