RE: TC Spark Energy

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz> 

Hi Dave,

On 10 Mar 2004, at 16:58, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "David Thomson" <dave-at-volantis-dot-org>
 >
 > Hi Malcolm,
 >
 >  > The problem with trying to assign a shot energy to streamer length
 >  in > repetitive operation is that it doesn't work because while the
 >  energy > is largely the same for each shot, the streamer length
 >  varies > considerably. Consider that for the first shot or two of a
 >  run, the > streamer length is minimal whereas a second or two later,
 >  you might > have sparks stretching a number of feet, all with the
 >  same primary > energy or close to it. Hot air assistance.
 >
 > It can't be all hot air assistance.  In fact, I wonder if it really
 > has anything at all to do with streamer length.  On my coils, the
 > streamer takes a different path on each shot.  If hot air had anything
 > to do with it, then I would expect the streamer to find a single path
 > and build up in one spot only.

In repetitive operation that is pretty much what happens. Witness a
streamer reaching out over time, then connecting with some other
object after a couple of seconds, hanging there for a couple more
with some slight upward movement due to convection. Over that
interval there will be several hundred shots at least. The nub of
what I'm saying is that if you just bang the coil once a second with
some energy Ep, then bang it hundreds of times per second with Ep,
the streamers stretch enormously despite Ep remaining the same. The
only real difference is power level (E x BPS).

 > It seems that as electrons pierce the atmosphere they fill in all the
 > positive ions in a given path.  On the next shot, they need to find a
 > different path (even if only slightly different) because the positive
 > ions in the previous path had been mostly filled.  If this theory is
 > true, then a ground rod does not supply negative ions to a circuit,
 > but rather draws them into the earth.  The ground connection should
 > have a more positive electrostatic potential at its highest point with
 > respect to the Earth ground plane.
 >
 > One way to test this is to run a Tesla coil and measure the streamer
 > lengths.  Then run a negative ion generator in the vicinity of the
 > coil for some time before turning it on again.  If the streamers are
 > shorter after running the negative ion generator (or longer after
 > running a positive ion generator) then we would know the ion count of
 > the atmosphere is a significant factor.
 >
 > Likewise, if hot air assistance is a factor, there should be longer
 > streamers in hotter ambient air than in colder ambient air.

There is hot, then there is *hot*. I'm talking about more than just a
few degrees difference.

Malcolm


 > Dave
 >
 >
 >