Re: Gap Losses (II)( Re: Primary Heating) AND Tesla on TV

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

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

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

> As I was thinking about primary heating and the responce "that
> current was every where the same" I remenbered an arc/lightning
>problem that was similar if I may digress to primary heating.

	I suggest that the similarity seems slight to me.  Primary
	heating in Tesla systems involves closed, oscillating systems.
	at a power level form 200Wish up to 15KW.

	The described lightning rod (roughly) system involves one
	shot lightning events at power levels from Huge to
	Oh My Word!.  Seems different.

> At the tracking site we had 9 ea 12ft 5/8 dia nickel tipped
> lightning rods attached to 1 sq mile of copper net ground plane
> on top the mountain to the top of each antenna tower. My job
> was to replace these rods after each storm. This was a mounthy
> project. The rods were vaporived from 4 in above the mount up 3
> ft of rod. In fact the lower 4 in was not damaged only 3 ft above
> that was gone. The current is assumed to be every where the same,
> but only the rod above the base were vaporized, not the threads,
> base mount or top 2/3 length.

	Sounds like a neat job...

	Any spark gap (i suggest that this is one, although large)
	burns/wears/erodes (chose one or all) from the end.  I
	suspect it happens more rapidly due to the power levels
	involved.

> All that remained was like new and useable at lower locations.

	Any material, below its melting point will remain.
	Above that it will melt (or, as here) vaporize.

> If current in the primary coil is every where the same why is only
> the lower terminal point hot

	That is what's been discussed.  I suspect the airflow is poorer,
	hence, the temperature higher.  Other views have been
	expressed.  It may be a combination of effects...

> and why were the lightning rods smoked near the terminal point.

	cf above for my speculations.

> I think there is a common relationship with TC arc and lightning arc.

	Concur.
	The question was heating of the primary, rather than the
	Tesla secondary spark.  Typically the primary is well away from
	the spark...

> In my mind current/time can not be the same along the 5/8 pure copper
> rod or the primary copper tube.

	I see them as two different cases.  Especially in the 
	Tesla Primary, I can't see how current could vary along
	its length (I'm speaking of active length, ignoring anything
	above a tap, where present.) 

	The behaviour of the copper lighting points matches that of
	any other gap...  I think...

	best
	dwp

	(unrelated PS:
	This will likely go out too late:
	History Channel, Cable.
	one hour show on Niagara Falls.  7:pm EST, US.
	About 5-10 minutes on Tesla vs Edison, with Tesla getting
	fair credit.  A bit over dramatic in parts, and confused as to
	times....)