Re: Best RQ gap materials

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

Original poster: "Brett Miller by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <brmtesla-at-yahoo-dot-com>


 >Ok, I'm about to start construction on a Richard
 >Quick style spark gap, and before I do, I need to
 >know which size is better performance-wise... the
 >6" PVC, with 3/4" copper tubing, or the 4" PVC,
 >with 1/2" copper tubing?  Is there a difference?
 >
 >I've got both sizes of PVC, but am undecided on
 >the electrode... I found I can get the 1/2 and 3/4
 >inch sizes in packs of 25 for $2.85 and $6.00 at
 >the local Home Depot, but which to get?

Christopher,

I used green 6.25" PVC and 7 1.5" Cu pipes each spaced
somwhere between 1/16-1/8" for my TCBOR gap. (Richard
Quick ripped this design off from the Tesla Coil
Builders of Richmond) It works great with a 12/60 NST
powered coil.  You can see the gap running at the
bottom of the screen when I zoom out during the
following video:

http://www.hot-streamer-dot-com/brett/6inchcoil/videos/6inchrun.mpg

I've tried other static gaps with smaller pipes, more
pipes and closer gap spacing and the results have
fallen short of my TCBOR gaps (I constructed two units
as per the above specs).  I think the only way I can
improve my gap performance is by using air blast or
vacuum, and of course upgrading to a sync rotary...all
of which I plan to test in the near future.  I have
used muffin fans with the TCBORs for long runs, but
they aren't really neccessary at my power levels for
30 second to 1 minute runs.  I think the 1.5 inch pipe
diameter really helps to sink heat in this
application.

Good luck, and safe coiling.
-Brett

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