gmheicslr --- uh oh...once again!

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

Original poster: Brett Miller <brmtesla2-at-yahoo-dot-com> 

John et. all,

Actually the General Motors High Energy Ignition Coil
Spark Length Record (GMHEICSLR) involved the actual
breaking of a world record for the longest spark
produced by a Wells C834 (or OEM replacement part)
Ignition coil.  The coil was around 18 dollars and
work directed toward beating Terry's record (which he
has held for some time and still holds -- along with
me now) could get expensive quickly since it usually
involved destructive failure of several coils.

Terry will correct me if I'm wrong, but since the
contest was also a world record, it was (and still is)
open to all, not just members of the TCML.  If you
have the time and money, go for the gold!  There is a
message in the archives documenting my tie with Terry
after atmospheric pressure differences were taken into
account.  I achived several single shot point to point
arcs measured around 11.75 (possibly 12) inches, and
after atmospheric differences between our respective
altitudes were considered, it was declared a tie and
Terry mailed me the trophy for my turn.  I would be
glad to mail it out to anyone that can best our spark
lengths.  The rules are still probably on Sam's site,
but I haven't checked in a while.

http://www.powerlabs-dot-org/gmheicslr.htm

Terry has a really good idea about this, and I have a
few myself, but right now I haven't the time or the
money to put something together.  Maybe I will later
on in the coming months.  Regardless, it would be
really fun to see someone breath fire into this
mothballed contest.  I'm sure it will happen sooner or
later and result in some real fun.

In the meantime, here's the gap I constructed using
1/8 inch tungsten rod, lexan, and a couple of bolts
from the junk box:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/brett/gmheicslr/pics/tungsten_gap.jpg

In this photo you can see my 1st setup easily firing a
discharge across an 8 inch gap.  Notice the apparent
slight flourescence on the lexan frame of the spark
gap in the lower left hand corner of the pic:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/brett/gmheicslr/pics/8inch2.jpg

Here's a different 8 inch arc, this time zoomed in a
bit...note the branching there, in the single shot
discharge.

Ok, well maybe this will be "cool" enough to some
people to provoke motivation toward trying to win this
thing.  I would say that a lot of research needs to be
done toward determining an optimum topload (I think
Sam mentioned that years ago, but never followed up).
Manly though, I think given the characteristics of
this coil, a radical decision to abandon traditional
TC (disruptive) tank circuit design in favor of solid
state development might be advantageous...like in the
OLTC direction if you catch my drift.  Uh oh.  I may
have just given away some secrets here.  Terry and I
had a brief email discussion about this, but it seemed
as though he was busy with his own stuff, so I dare
say we both won't be getting to the gmheicslr any time
soon.

In any case...my intention was that *someone* out
there is carrying an interest that will be piqued by
this message.

Best Wishes.

-Brett    KI4DBK
http://www.hot-streamer-dot-com/brett

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
 > Original poster: "John Richardson" <jprich-at-up-dot-net>
 >
 > Hi Dan,
 >
 > I believe that Terry and Sam Barros had a friendly
 > competition going on a
 > while back.  Check out www.powerlabs-dot-org and there
 > is some mention of it.
 >
 > John Richardson



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