Re: Brass Ball static spark gap not doing so well

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

Original poster: "Gregory Hunter by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Hi Pete,

Coiler & engineer Gary Lau
(http://people.ne.mediaone-dot-net/lau/tesla/tesla.htm)
studied his single static sucker gap and decided it
offered coil performance comparable to more complex
multi-gaps gaps. He found that the single static
doesn't quench as well as the multi-gap, but has lower
ohmic losses and higher Q, which apparently makes up
for the poorer quenching.

I like the single static sucker gap because it is
simple and inexpensive to build, and easy to adjust.
My current favorite is a two-horned unit made of 1"
copper pipe, using a PVC Tee as a manifold, mounted
atop a vacuum cleaner motor to suck air through it. It
handles my 5kva pole transformer with ease. With my
1080VA NST power supply, this gap can remove heat
faster than the arc can make it, so it can run
indefinitely at that power level. It is
maintenance-free; I can't remember the last time I
cleaned it.

Regards,

Greg
http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg

> 
> Is a multiple small gaps spark gap better than a
> single gap?  Which has
> greater losses?  Which has the most consistent
> firing voltage?  Is there a
> spark gap that lasts longer between cleanings?  Is
> there an optimum static
> spark gap?
> 
> I hope that I am not bringing up something covered
> already.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Pete
> 
> 
> 


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