Re: Picture of 250kV Marx Generator Discharge

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

Hi Dan,

On 11 May 2003, at 19:46, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
<dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>
 >
 > Took some discharge pictures of my Marx Generator this evening.
 >
 > Marx Generator Specifications:
 > 13-Stage, 2000pF, 40kV Ceramite Capacitors
 > Trigger point: 20kVDC
 > Energy Discharge (0.7 Joules)  - (Assuming no losses)
 > Charge System:  2-Stage Cockroft-Walton multiplier
 >
 > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/images/marxgenerator13.jpg

<snip>

It would instructive to all of us if you tried placing the output
electrodes against some dielectric material such as PMMA sheet etc.
to see how far a spark at that voltage could actually connect. I for
one would appreciate your doing this. I should have tried this myself
when I built mine (which are now dusty and dirty and in mothballs in
the garage). It would provide some interesting answers to coilers
concerned about flashovers and, given the impedance of a typical TC
secondary, it should be possible to test a secondary for this by
connecting the base of the resonator to the base of the Marx and
positioning the top electrode just far enough from the top of the
coil to prevent it firing first. In fact, you might have your
directional electronics destroyer designed for you right there.

Malcolm