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Re: Differences between "bad" streamers and "good" streamers



Original poster: "Justin Hays by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pyrotrons2000-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Hi All,

If you're getting 36" streamers, the arcs are going to be just about
as hot as they can get. If you build the mother of all spark gaps,
and put it on your coil, you'll notice an increase in sparklength but
the brightness will be about the same. You might get the sparks a
*little bit* brighter. Hardly noticeable. I would leave your spark
gap as it is.

You must realize that spark gap tesla coil streamers are NOT bright,
I don't care how big and/or powerful your coil is. They are invisible
with normal sunlight, hard to see in normal tungsten lighting, and
only highly visible in the dark.

The topload is mainly responsible for current in the discharge
(brightness of the arc). If you're charging your topload with
voltages enough to produce 36" streamers, don't expect any more
streamer brightness.

The streamers on my old 12" tesla coil, which made 12 foot arcs, were
rather dim even with a properly sized (4 foot diameter) topload. But,
when they struck something, they turned into a pure white stream of
sparks, and sparks are where the fun is in my opinion ; )

A better spark gap will increase the brightness of "ground strikes"
where the streamers contact metal or ground. A larger topload will do
the same thing.

Take care,

Justin Hays
KC5PNP
Email: justin-at-hvguy-dot-com
Website: www.hvguy-dot-com

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