Re: Natural streamer :)

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

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<davep-at-quik-dot-com>
> 
> >>      When I run my "big" [18" sparks, but only 35 microamps short-circuit
> >>current] VDG everything within several feet stars to show visible
> >>discharge.  If they sharp points are close there isn't much voltage
> >>rise.  If I approach it with my hand I'm liable to get zapped, but if I
> >>hold a pin in my hand [pointed toward the terminal, of course] and
> >>approach nothing much happens.  Same phenomenon.
> 
> > Wait a sec!!  Your VDG can give 35uA but can only give an 18" spark??
> 
>         Spark length, esp. for a DC DC machine, as van de Graaf,
>         is mostly voltage related.  Voltage of neither
>         machine being stated...
> 
>         best
>         dwp

	I'd modify that to say "voltage gradient related", since the breakdown
voltage of the upper terminal is set by the radius of curvature.  Of
course, in my case, it's limited by breakdown from base to terminal.  If
you have an easy way to measure the terminal voltage of a large VDG I'd
be interested to know it.

Ed