Re: Terry Gap vs. TCBOR...

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

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

Gerry,

Yeah, I was thinking about that earlier today as a
matter of fact, but mainly of your number 1.  I will
be using a feeler gauge and/or caliper to measure the
gaps as accurately as I can.  I did sort of think
about the differing pipe geometry (1/2" dia pipes in
the Fritz, 1 1/2" pipes in the TCBOR) but only in
terms of heat sinking ability.  With my background of
Van de Graff/Wimshurst building and playing, I should
have thought of that first.  Thank you for pointing
that out.

-Brett



--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
 > Original poster: "Gerry Reynolds"
 > <gerryreynolds-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 >
 > Hi Brett,
 >
 > Now that you got the Fritz gap epoxied (I know,
 > great timing), it would be
 > great to compare the Fritz and TCBOR gaps two ways.
 >
 > 1.  With the total gap spacing the same for each
 > type .
 >
 > 2.  With the gap setting on one set so the breakdown
 > voltage is the same as
 > for the other.   I think this would be the best
 > comparison of performance.
 >
 > I guess I'm thinking that since the geometry is not
 > the same (different
 > diameters),  the breakdown voltage for a given gap
 > setting may not be the
 > same.
 >
 > Gerry R
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >  > 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
 >  >
 >  > _
 >  >