Re: How low can a spark gap go?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Finn Hammer <f-h@xxxx>

Greg,

I think this dogma, as you rightly put it, is based on engineering 
adherence to notions of efficiency, and speculation.

From an engineering standpoint, it would appear that having the 
energy pass the spark gap more than one time would be "bad", 
therefore the wish for 1st. notch quenching.
However, a sparkgap that forces 1st. notch quenching on a coil that 
doesn`t naturally want to do so, is bound to have higher losses than ideal.
My Museum coil would start at low power with 4th notch quenching, 
then acheive 1st./2nd. notch quenching at full power.

Several notable colers have mentioned good performing coils that 
quench naturally at 2nd. notch.

I have made a couple of replicas of Stephen Conner`s big OLTC coils, 
which have quenching abilities based on time only, so that it can 
quench in mid energy transfer if wanted, and I always thought it 
operated with the nicest sound at 2nd. notch quench.

But then I was never much constrained by efficiency parameters, but 
rather wanted the coil to have a pleasant sound.

Cheers, Finn Hammer


Tesla list skrev:
> Original poster: G Hunter <dogbrain_39560@xxxxxxxxx>

 From where did
> we learn the dogma that extraordinary measures must be
> taken with our coils & spark gaps to achieve first
> notch quenching? Seems like many "real" Tesla coils
> work great without any regard to quenching!
> Greg