Re: Spark length vs. coupling results

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

Original poster: "jimmy hynes by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chunkyboy86-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Although knowing how coupling affects spark length without streamer growth 
is good, I don't think allowing streamer growth would be introducing 
another variable. As long as you don't change the break rate and coupling 
at the same time, you aren't really adding another variable.

I looked into the shorted turn idea, and it looks like it would be hard to 
get enough coupling. It also couldn't lower the frequency and the OLTC 
doesnt have many primary turns to lose for higher frequency. I would also 
think that frequency would affect streamers more than connected arcs. That 
would be difficult to measure, although video tapes would help alot. Maybe 
Richie or some other nearby coilers could lend you a secondary.

If you have a smooth toroid, the sparks might not "know" how long it took 
to ring up. As long as you shut the power off right after breakout, you 
might not need high peak power. It probably wouldn't work if you have 
corona forming everywhere, but maybe with a smooth toroid. Not using a 
breakout point might be an advantage because more energy is stored before 
breakout.  Kinda like breakout points vs breakout bumps on spark gap coils.

Thanks for doing these tests. Schools almost out, so I can get my coil 
ready to do some testing soon =^).

Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
Original poster: "Stephen Conner by way of Terry Fritz "

At 13:21 07/06/03 -0600, you wrote:
 >Original poster: "jimmy hynes by way of Terry Fritz "
 >
 >
 >Hi,
 >
 >I would have thought that at 40 bps the loss wouldn't really matter, thats
 >far less power than at 1200 bps. What I meant when I asked why 40 bps, is
 >why don't you want streamer growth to affect it? I would think that it
 >would be a more relevant answer, because most TCs run at high enough break
 >rates for streamer growth. It wouldn't be hard to do a second test at high
 >break rate would it?

I just wanted to eliminate streamer growth from the equation so I was only
studying one variable at a time. Now I can try again at a higher bps and if
we _do_ see a ! difference this time, we'll know that risetime influences
spark length indirectly through streamer growth.


 >When you say Richie's tuned primary coils work better, is that for the
 >same power, number of primary turns, or what? I think the main advantage
 >in slower SSTCs is probably increased clearance from pri-sec, like you said.

We didn't measure stuff accurately enough to tell. It would have spoiled
the holiday atmosphere :D The main improvement is that it breaks out
directly from the toroid which looks cooler.

Steve C.





Jimmy