Terry Gap vs. TCBOR...

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

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

Luke (and Terry might be interested too),

I have started the restoration of the Fritz linear
static gap.  I mixed up some T-88 aircraft grade epoxy
(good stuff I might add) and set up the cu pipes on a
nice 1/2" thick Lexan base I pilferred from my
plastics crate.  Tomorrow it should be pretty well
cured and I can start firing up and performing tests.


I'll soon be providing pictures of both the gaps as
well as scope waveforms of quenching for the
respective units.

Just remember, the diameter of the pipes is much
greater in the TCBOR gap, so heat sinking/cooling will
be naturally better in the TCBOR.  This is definately
something to consider when analysing the results.
This test will definately not be controlled, nor will
it be double blind.  Nevertheless, I think some
tentative conclusions may not be life threatening.

I must also not forget to take measurements of each
gap and provide total gap spacing for each gap unit
tested.  I used two index cards stacked to space the
pipes in the Fritz gap.  Those will be easy to measure
with a caliper.  I can use a feeler gauge for the
TCBOR.....something I should have done a long time
ago.

I hope a few people will take an interest in this
little project.  I know Luke is interested (plus me),
so that makes it worth doing right there.  What we're
really wanting to know here is whether or not
distributing a spark over many gaps for greater
quenching is desirable over using few gaps to minimize
loss?  Where is the balance?  Is this a sensitive
parameter that must be matched to specific systems?
If we're lucky we might learn more about whether or
not 1st notch quenching is the "holy grail" of spark
gap design (see Richee Burnett's page).

-Brett

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