Re: oil quenched spark gap

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

Original poster: "rheidlebaugh by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <rheidlebaugh-at-zialink-dot-com>

Al: Tesla had the same problem, He pumped the oil in a vacuun to de-gass the
oil.I have the same problen in my oil capacitors, but I just vent the
presure.after a while the gas stops.
   Robert  H

> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2002 19:20:58 -0700
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: oil quenched spark gap
> Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Resent-Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 19:33:27 -0700
> 
> Original poster: "Alfred Erpel by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> <alfred-at-erpel-dot-com>
> 
> Howdy All,
> 
> 
> I just built the oil quenched spark gap shown here
> <http://www.neongold-dot-com/public/1/oil_quenched_spark_gap.jpg>http://www.neo
> ngold-dot-com/public/1/oil_quenched_spark_gap.jpg . The unit is shown partially
> filled with oil, but it is totally filled when it is running. The 4 gaps were
> set to a .003 opening (another .001 and they wouldn't fire). The submersed
> pump
> was a continuous duty submersible pump available from Grainger for about $22.
> The oil was EDM oil purchased in a 5 gallon pail from MSC. It is rated to
> break
> down at about 50,000 volts. This is not it's dielectric strength
volts/mil but
> the voltage at which the oil should decompose. I ran a Franceformer
6020SE 6kv
> 150 VA transformer across the 4 gaps connected in series for about 20
minutes.
> There were bubbles issuing forth from between the 4 gaps which immediately
> perplexed me. Periodically I had to move the gaps closer because the spark
> would suddenly stop. The transformer barely got warm, but was slightly
> perceptibly above room temperature after 20 minutes. Suddenly the unit sprung
> a
> leak and was squirting oil out at high pressure. I shut it down and it was
> then
> that I realized that the bubbles I saw were pressurizing the unit. So I
assume
> that the oil was breaking down, but it isn't supposed to.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas on this. Like is there a different oil or substance
that
> would be a good idea to run through this? Etc. ?  If I get this working, I
> will
> post complete shop blue prints in .pdf format for anyone to use.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Al Erpel
> 
> 
> 
> 
>