Re: [TSSP] Ion Cloud Loading

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Excellent experiment....


Another experiment would be to attach a thin wire a meter or so long to the
topload (to replicate a "leader" or spark channel)  You could use nichrome
to give it some resistance... Hang it with monofilament


Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Terrell W. Fritz by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <terrellf-at-qwest-dot-net>
> 
> Hi Malcolm,
> 
> I seem to have more than enough equipment to do this (almost an obscene
> amount in fact ;-))
> 
> I set up my 0-50kVDC Bertan X-ray power supply and my little battery
> powered (and cheap if something goes wrong) TCT Tesla Coil Tuner (a simple
> adjustable square wave generator) in series between ground and the coils
> base connection:
> 
> http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/Misc/IonCloudTest/HVDCPower.jpg
> 
> http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/Misc/IonCloudTest/Coil.jpg
> 
> Thus, I can inject the ~250kHz signal into the coil riding on top of say
> 50kVDC :-)
> 
> I then set up my antenna and scope to measure the resonant signal.  The
> scope was set to read Vrms over many cycles to give a nice stable reading:
> 
> http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/Misc/IonCloudTest/Antenna.jpg
> 
> http://hot-streamer-dot-com/TeslaCoils/Misc/IonCloudTest/Scope.jpg
> 
> So I could detect if the signal strength dropped (from coil detuning) as
> the coil was charged from 0 to 50kVDC.  The "Q" of the coil setup was about
> 15.8 (253/16).
> 
> Here is the measured signal strength of the resonant tuned signal as a
> function of terminal voltage.
> 
> Voltage (kVDC)  Signal Level (Vrms)
> 0                       2.28
> 5                       2.28
> 10                      2.28
> 15                      2.28
> 20                      2.28
> 25                      2.29
> 30                      2.29
> 35                      2.29
> 40                      2.29
> 45                      2.29
> 50                      Corona Inception
> 
> The slight change in voltage seemed real but was at the edge of the
> system's measurement capability and may have been due (probably) to the
> power supply's switching signal leaking through.  At 50kVDC you could hear
> corona breaking out pretty heavily so I stopped in fear I may pop the TCT.
> 
> In conclusion, I found no evidence that the coil's DC potential had any
> affect on the system's resonant frequency
> 
> Cheers,
> 
>         Terry
> 
> At 08:39 AM 2/28/2002 +1300, you wrote:
> >Hello all,
> >           For a long time now, many have suggested that an ion cloud
> >hanging around the secondary terminal necessitates detuning the
> >primary downward somewhat to compensate. I have long doubted this
> >mantra (without proof) but have devised a relatively simple test that
> >could be performed to establish where the truth lies. My doubt arises
> >as I think that any detuning of the secondary can be explained (I
> >think) by capacitance (and resistance) added visible streamer length
> >alone.
> >       The test does not involve spark production (important).
> >Instead, one uses the usual setup of a signal generator and aerial
> >probe to monitor the secondary ringing alone, and then introduce an
> >ion cloud around the terminal using some other devices (like ozone
> >generators. UV generators etc. Any significant shift in secondary
> >frequency should be quite observable.
> >       I think this is an appropriate forum to check this out and add
> >to the knowledge base. Is anyone equipped to easily do this test?
> >
> >Regards,
> >Malcolm
> >