Re: Break-down voltage of gaps and humidity

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

Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr-at-bellsouth-dot-net> 

I suppose one must define the difference between corona discharge and 
actual gap jump. Couldnt there be excessive corona discharge as humidity 
increases but not have the actual voltage arc at a certian voltage/humidity 
rating? Maybe we see more corona due to the humidity at the same voltage as 
when the voltage is still held constant at low humidity( same voltage ,less 
humidity, less corona)

I have noticed longer streamers on cold clear dry nites as compared to warm 
humid nites with the power setting the same. But these are arcs not corona. 
And to confirm your findinds... on the warm humid nites I see more corona 
off of various parts of the T-Coil as compared to the drier less humid nites.

Maybe this could be part of the answer to the longer streamers on cold dry 
nites....  less energy is being dissapated in the form of corona and is 
applied more to the streamer.

Scot D


Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
>
>
>Regarding humidity and the effect of it on break-down voltage:
>
>In testing, I (as well as others) may have noticed that corona discharge
>increases from a high voltage point in the
>presence of increasing humidity.
>
>However, in Kuffel's High Voltage Engineering text, he states that the
>break-down voltage between two gaps will
>actually increase with increasing humidity.
>
>This seems to contradict what I have experienced.  Can anyone comment on
>this?
>
>Thanks
>Dan
>
>