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Re: Spark gap



Original poster: "Harold Weiss" <hweiss@xxxxxxxxxx>

Hi,

Another thing with soda cans is the melting point of the aluminum. There is also the possibility of setting the aluminium on fire with the heavy current arcs. Metal fires can be hard to put out.

David E Weiss

Original poster: "Dr. Resonance" <resonance@xxxxxxxxxx>


Soda cans are too large. You need some 1/2 inch OD (3/8 inch ID) straight copper pipe --- not tubing which always has some curvature.

You can buy a straight copper pipe at a plumbing shop.  Some shops might
have some "cut-offs" 2-3 feet long which would be perfect to use for the
copper tubes.  De-bur the ends with a file and sandpaper to encourage
sparking along the length of the tube.

You may need a machinist with a milling machine to do the layout for the
fastener holes --- you want the pipes to be as parallel as possible and a
mill makes it a snap.  Two fastener holes per tube holds them in perfect
parallel alignment.  The machine shop instructor at your school can help you
with this.

7-8 tubes inside a 6 inch dia. PVC tube with a 75-100 CFM fan below it works
very wall with a 12/30 or 15/30 xmfr.  Use duct tape to shape the airflow
from the fan to the tube but keep it away from the HV.

Dr. Resonance



>
> Would soda cans make a good replacement for copper pipes in the spark > gap?
> Or should I just go out and buy the pipes? I ask because i'm operating > on
a
> budget here. I almost just had my school pay for for the capacitors, but
my
> parents said that they could afford $54 dollars.( originally we thaught > I
> would need 45 capacitors at about $3 a peice) :) Thanks again Dr.
Resonance.
> Steven Steele
>
>
>