Re: this was probably really stupid

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

Original poster: "john cooper" <tesla-at-tesla-coil-dot-com> 


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date:  Sun, 23 May 2004 21:48:11 -0600

 >Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>
 >
 >On 21 May 2004, at 19:16, Tesla list wrote:
 >
 > > Original poster: Jimbo07031982-at-aol-dot-com
 > >
 > > I just got done running my coil i was doing this during a pretty
 > > strong storm with lot's of lightning and i noticed that my streamer's
 > > were somewhat large than they normally are and at times they would
 > > appear to pulse. so i took off one of the cover's i have over the
 > > window's and that is when i noticed that every time the lightning
 > > would flash my streamer's would pulse outwards and grow about 1-2
 > > inch's with every lightning flash. Once again probably the stupidest
 > > thing that I could have been doing during a storm but I just wanted to
 > > see what kind of effect the storm would have on my coil.
 >
 >If your coil had been outside, you might have set a record for
 >sparklength that would have been impossible to beat.
 >
 >Malcolm
 >
Can you imagine this experiment:  Set outside a large sacrificial TC when a 
lightning storm is approaching, attach a large isolation transformer 
between the power line and TC, fuse that line as well, maybe in several 
points along its length, set up a few video cameras and have an on/off 
switch safely? away from the TC.  As the lightning approaches, turn on the 
cameras and TC.  Be sure one of the cameras is fairly close to the TC and 
mounted low, looking up with the toroid in the bottom of the frame, the sky 
above mostly filling the area to be captured on video.  This should be a 
lightning storm without rain though; but, if what I think could happen 
happens it won't matter.  I think I'd also wrap the cameras in plastic and 
have a fire extinguisher handy.