Re: spark gap

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "David Rieben" <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Tim,

Hollow tubing is definitely better than solid copper
rod of equal outer diameter for spark gap electrodes
as heat dissipation is much better with a hollow tube.
With your system at 12 kV, 120 mA, I would say
go for the larger diamter tubing as well. You also
need to keep your total gap to no more than around
0.2", so you would need to keep the total number of
gaps down to a number that would be practical for
the total gap spacing. Many people suggest setting
each individual gap spacing with the thickness of a
credit card. So that would translate to 4 or 5? gaps
to reach the .2" total (don't happen to have a micro-
meter handy to measure the exact thickness of one
of my credit/ATM cards) so I'm just guessing here.
Hope this helps some.

David Rieben

----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 12:35 PM
Subject: spark gap


> Original poster: Timjroche@xxxxxxx
> I'm running:
> 12kV 120mA NST
> .03 uF 45kV maxwell tank cap
> 12 T .25" tube .25" spacing primary
> 4.343" OD 28awg 17" lng secondary
> maj. dia 17" min dia 4" toriod
>
> What is the best place to start a static gap?  I have . 5" solid Cu 
> (12 pcs. 4" long), .5" tube, 7/8" tube, and 1.125" tube...is hollow 
> better? bigger dia?
> What about length? my 7/8" (6 pcs. 6" long) better than .5" 3"long? 
> can you have to many gaps? i.e. total gap=.5",  2 tubes?, 6 tubes?, 12 tubes?
>
> thanxs
> Tim