Re: spark gap bps verses cap size.

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

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>

Hi Luke,

At 08:48 PM 1/12/2004, you wrote:
>Does the bps of the spark gap effect what size capacitor is needed?

Yes!

>I assume it does based on some of what I have read.
>
>Question 1:
>How or rather why does it effect it?

As the BPS rate goes up, there is less time to charge the cap to full 
voltage.  Thus the cap needs to be a smaller value.  Ideally, the power 
throughput is the same though since you are firing more often.  The RMS 
current in the cap goes up too.

>
>Question 2:
>Is this the reason the 120 bps value seems to be widely used?

120BPS works really well with 60Hz line frequency.

>Is it because that's how many bps you would get from the standard 60 hz 
>lfrequency and since this is the same the effects of differing the cap 
>size are negligible?

Some say that 120 BPS tends to perform better than other rates.  However, 
there are so many variables....

Cheers,

         Terry

>
>Luke Galyan
>Bluu-at-cox-dot-net
>