RE: the best spark gap?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Alan Majernick" <rainylake@xxxxxxx>

Helpful Post

Thanks  Alan

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 11:34 AM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: the best spark gap?

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Drake,

I wouldn't use the carbide tungsten bits in a static gap application.
Been there, done that. Simple copper tubing is far better at thermal
transfer and will remain cooler providing more energy to the coil
(better sparks). I really like a RQ sucker gap. I simply use a
squirrel cage fan (120 Vac powered) and suck in the air through the
RQ/TCBOR copper pipe in a pvc arrangement. Works great and tubing
stays cool for long runs. The amount of airflow is important. Too
little air flow and the sparks will start out great and quickly
diminish. The tubing will be hot. Too much airflow and the sparks can
be erratic. Just right and "long sparks, slightly warm tubing (but not
hot)".

Take care,
Bart

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "Drake Schutt" <drake89@xxxxxxxxx>
>
>Hey all,
>
>Assuming a 12kv/120ma NST bank and a .03 uf 35 KV cap, is there any
>sort of consensus as to what the most efficient sort of gap would be
>for this (medium-ish?) configuration?  There's sucker gaps, blower
>gaps, single static gaps, multi static gaps, rotary gaps, RQ gaps,
>etc.  I was thinking about a RQ style gap with a vacuum or leaf
>blower for quenching or maybe using some tungsten carbide dremel
>bits also air quenched.  Any ideas?
>
>Thanks,
>Drake
>
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