Inter-turn arcing

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

Original poster: "Jolyon Vater Cox by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jolyon-at-vatercox.freeserve.co.uk>


Re: flat spiral or inverted-conical primaries- does the voltage on the outer
turns present problems with inter-turn arcing -as it would appear the
volts/turn on the outer -i.e.. longer- turns would be greater than the
volts/turn on the inner -i.e.. shorter- turns

due to increased inductive reactance and resistance in the added wire?

In view of this might it be appropriate to space the outer turns further apart
than the inner turns, maybe even use a reversed parabolic type of primary -with
the wires becoming progressively more closely pitched towards the middle -by
"reversed" I am thinking of a normal parabolic dish where the extremities of
curve have been turned around so that they are now at the centre to give the
profile of a funnel- or trumpet- shaped cone.

I have not so far encountered primary inter-turn arcing although I would be
interested to know how common it is and what can be done about it for future
reference -as well as any opinions on the advantages or otherwise of wider
pitching of outer turns or funnel-shaped profiles to prevent inter-turn arcing
on Tesla coil primaries.