Re: sparks running down secondary - why?

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

Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br>

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Paul Arrowsmith" <p_t_arrowsmith-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> 
> Sound like the primary and secondary are over coupled causing excessive
> mutual inductance, try raising the secondary to make greater separation to
> the primary turns lowering the coefficient of coupling.

The problem is related (by not yet clear reasons) to the small distance
between primary and secondary.  The suggested solution is correct, but
I don't see a physical reason for a high mutual inductance causing the 
"racing sparks" phenomenon.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz