Re: Triggered Gap How-To?

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

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

Hi Bill,
The basic, workable triggered gap is very simple and uses easily
purchased parts.
The easiest workable electrodes would be a brass rod or block maybe, For
the rod option a good tap is, what i was tough, a tourniquet splice.
This is when the strands of the lead are spread out and wrapped evenly
around the shank of the rod, then a thin wire is wrapped around these
strands to hold them tight against the shank, twisted tight and
soldered.
The contact surface area of wire to shank gives an almost nonexistent
connection electrically, the only think better would be a fusion splice
like Cadd or fusion lug.
These three electrodes are spaced apart in a T  config.
An Auto coil is used and driven by a standard light dimmer or fan
controller that is bought from a hardware store.
this dimmer connects much like in the light circuit, with the BLACK lead
passing through and then into a 3uf capacitor, out of the cap into the +
of the auto coil.
The - side gets connected to the neutral, or WHITE wire.
This gap works by the energy wave of the AC circuit "swinging" into the 
+ side of a sine wave, When it reaches a point where the diac triggers
on this allows the gate of the triac to turn on and energize the primary
of the auto coil.
Then When the sine wave swings into "zero crossing" it energizes the
secondary and causes a hv discharge in the trigger electrode. This
causes a breakdown of the field between the two main electrodes allowing
the the tank to discharge into the tesla primary, then sparks are had?
If the gap is such, or the airflow through the gap is great enough to
not allow conduction through the main gap without the trigger electrode,
then the gap only fire at the point where the tank is filled to the
best, and the gap adjusted to the best setting for your coil, then
things are the optimum for your system.
There are many improvements to be made and many new designs coming about
now, with more and more coilers working on it i think we will see many
variations, but basically that is it.
Take care,
Marc M.
Geek #1055
http://www.thegeekgroup-dot-org/


Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Bill Vanyo by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<vanyo-at-echoes-dot-net>
> 
> I'm thinking of building a triggered gap, but I don't really know how it
> works or if it's within the scope of my skills.  I did manage to build a
> decent coil over the last year (copper tube static gap, 6 1/2" by 27"
> secondary, 0.06 maxwell (now blown, waiting for my geek group CD caps),
> three 15/60 NST's with protection circuit, line filters, etc..).  It
> worked pretty well until I blew the maxwell cap.
> 
> Does anyone have plans that a relative amateur could follow?  I.e., a
> list of readily available stock parts and schematic for putting them
> together?  Or should I just plan on a sync rotary gap for my next
> project?
> 
>         - Bill V.