Re: Safety gap - setting

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Slurp812 <slurp812@xxxxxxxxx>

I would set it with the gradual variac approach. If you notice, 
abruptly powering on only sometimes fires the safety gap. It just 
depends on where the AC cycle is when you hit the switch. Iv seen 
this also. Its just  bit of "inductive kick".

On 12/3/06, Tesla list <<mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Original poster: <mailto:otmaskin5@xxxxxxx>otmaskin5@xxxxxxx

I just finished rebuilding & resetting my safety gap, but I'm not
sure I got it right.  Basically I set the gap so it just barely
wouldn't fire at full 130v variac setting.  I tested the setting by
dialing the variac from 0v to 130v pretty much the way I would do it
if I were actually starting up the tesla coil.

My question is this.  When I already had the variac set at 130v &
then hit the "on" switch, the safety gap would fire.  This abrupt
powering up would fire the gap at settings that would not fire when I
gradually dialed up the voltage to max.  To get the gap so it
wouldn't fire when I powered it up abruptly, it required a much wider setting.

Which of the 2 methods to test gap setting is correct - abrupt full
power or gradual dial up?  Thx for any suggestions.  Dennis Hopkinton MA