Any suggestions for more spark length

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

Original poster: "Mudford, Chris" <chris.mudford-at-agresearch.co.nz> 


Hi all

I need some hints as to where my power is going?

Coil specs are:

Power supply:  2 series mot with doubler having 1.05 uF in each HV leg, 2 
series MOV diodes with by pass caps between legs and 110 ohms in each 
output leg.  There is a safety gap to ground (CT of two transformers) from 
both HV outputs.

Spark gap: 5 pipe linear satic gap (2 pipes on bottom, 3 on top, separate 
the top further from bottom to adjust gaps)  Total gap ~4 mm.  Parallel to 
supply.

Capacitor: 10 seriesed WIMA FKP1 (0.068 uF, 1600 DC, 650 AC) with 7 
parallel strings.  33 MOHM bleeder across each cap.  Connects to inner turn 
of primary and spark gap.

Primary:  14 turns of 4.8 mm refrigeration tubing spaced at 4.8 mm as flat 
spiral.  35 mm space between secondary and primary inner turn.

Secondary:  90 mm diameter wound at 540 mm length for 6:1 ratio for 1630 
turns (0.28 mm wire, 0.32 mm including enamel).  Bottom turn of secondary 
~30 mm above primary.Toroid ~90 mm above last turn of secondary (to centre 
of minor toroid diameter).

Toroid:  Spun aluminium 50 x 180.
         Silver tape toroid 80 x 600.

RF ground:  Short length of steel into ground which I clip to

With the small toroid it is producing ~14".  I quickly built the bigger 
toroid hoping to get rid of the multiple streamers with the smaller 
one.  But, was still getting 3-4 streamers into air at ~18".

Things I think are poor.  SPARK GAP, TOROID, COUPLING, RF GROUND, POWER 
FACTOR.

With a supply like this how does one approach power factor.  The mains 
supply lead is getting warm.

Hope all you guru's can have a think about this and give me some ideas.

Cheers, Chris (NZ).