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RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I underpowered? (fwd)



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 16:46:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: Yurtle Turtle <yurtle_t@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I underpowered? (fwd)

I built a number of gaps for my 4" coil:

http://www.hot-streamer.com/adam/gap.htm

The one that worked the best was this:

http://www.hot-streamer.com/adam/shopvac_gap.jpg

Easy to build, easy to adjust (don't glue the
fittings) and easy to control (use a variac on your
shopvac). I've tried both blowing and sucking, and
like the vacuum best.

I've since directly connected this gap to a vacuum
cleaner motor, eliminating the grey pipe.

Adam

--- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:50:48 -0400
> From: Scott Bogard <teslas-intern@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I
> underpowered? (fwd)
> 
> Trevor,
>      I forgot to point out the most important part
> of setting a single gap, 
> when you are flipping the transformer on and off to
> establish how far an arc 
> can be made, it must be disconnected from
> everything, tank cap, primary, 
> everything.  Basically you are finding out how far
> 15kV can jump by itself 
> with no help, that way when you get resonate voltage
> rises from the tank 
> circuit, it cannot exceed 15kV.  Some people are
> suggesting you use 
> multi-segment gaps, I never had good luck with them,
> as I never had the 
> patience to construct one properly (they melted, or
> just wouldn't fire due 
> to poor insulation), when I "mastered" the single
> gap, I went strait to a 
> rotary.  Use your discretion.
> Scott Bogard.
> 
> 
> >From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I
> underpowered? (fwd)
> >Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 08:46:48 -0600 (MDT)
> >
> >
> >---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:13:43 -0400
> >From: Scott Bogard <teslas-intern@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I
> underpowered? (fwd)
> >
> >Trevor
> >      Nooo!   Don't open your gap too wide!  Set it
> like this, turn the
> >transformer on and off, starting close enough to
> make an arc, and keep
> >opening it a tiny bit at a time (like a millimeter)
> until it won't start an
> >arc, then, leave it there.  What you may find, is
> that once you install a
> >good fan of some kind, you may need to close it
> some for best performance.
> >I just use a tiny 1/32 hp squirrel cage fan for
> inflating the layers of
> >greenhouse plastic, to improve their insulation
> value, but this may or may
> >not be enough for you, but since your low power, it
> may very well be fine.
> >As for your caps popping, how do you have them
> wrapped, do you use foil, do
> >you use any glue, do you have them sitting in a tub
> of salt water, what are
> >you doing?  I have found you can get small but
> worthwhile improvements by
> >wrapping the jars in tightly fitting foil tape, and
> then aluminum foil (to
> >bridge the connections between tape strips) and
> then an insulator (like a
> >few layers of electrical tape).  I personally
> prefer one gallon pickle jars
> >(about .001 uf or 1nf a piece, so your larger than
> resonant value would 
> >need
> >about 7 or 8 jars, assuming you could tune your
> secondary to this
> >combination), and glue never seemed to work for me
> (so I use tape)!  Also,
> >you can increase the efficiency of your caps by
> experimenting with the salt
> >you use, I find more caustic stuff to be slightly
> better (I use NaCl, 
> >MgSO4,
> >HCl, Vinegar, and CuSO4 all mixed, but your
> electrode will not last forever
> >with a concoction like this!).  Also make sure they
> are sitting on a well
> >insulated surface, like Styrofoam (although your
> system is probably fine, 
> >as
> >if this were a problem you would not have much
> happening in your spark 
> >gap).
> >   Good luck!
> >Scott Bogard.
> >
> >
> > >From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > >To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> > >Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I
> underpowered? (fwd)
> > >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:34:27 -0600 (MDT)
> > >
> > >
> > >---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:28:37 +0000
> > >From: Trevor Keast <trevor_keast@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > >To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > >Subject: RE: Why am I getting small sparks? Am I
> underpowered? (fwd)
> > >
> > >Thanks for the comments.  I am currently using
> two threaded rods as the
> > >spark gap.  I have no fan or anything like that
> at present.  I did make a
> > >quite elaborate multi gap spark gap out of about
> 7 short lengths of 
> >copper
> > >pipe.  Strangly enough, when i use this spark gap
> I get no sparks from 
> >the
> > >top load whatsoever and the sparks going across
> this spark gap seem quite
> > >tame in comparison to the single spark gap.
> > >
> > >If I open up the single spark gap too much it
> start setting of some 
> >rather
> > >alarming pops and banks in my beer bottle
> capacitor bucket and I have no
> > >idea what that is happening!!  It scares me.
> > >
> > >Trevor
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:04:57 -0600> From:
> tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> To:
> > >tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: Why am I getting
> small sparks? Am I
> > >underpowered? (fwd)> > > ---------- Forwarded
> message ----------> Date:
> > >Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:53:21 -0400> From: Rich
> Winders
> > ><rwinders_3@xxxxxxxxxxx>> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Why am I
> > >getting small sparks? Am I underpowered? (fwd)> >
> > i had the exact same
> > >problem as you did with spark length.. and what
> i> did i was exactly as
> > >chiris said .. try varying the distance between
> the> electrodes.. this 
> >will
> > >send a diffrent amount of charge to your tank>
> capacitor but if you 
> >change
> > >that value enough your also going to through> of
> your tuning so good 
> >luck!
> > >... what kind of arrangement are you using?> Eg
> nuts and bolts ... or
> > >copper pipes or are you using roatating spark>
> gap?> >
> >
> > >(MDT)> >> >---------- Forwarded message
> ----------> >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 
> >2007
> > >15:48:34 -0400> >From: Crispy
> <crispy@xxxxxxxxxxx>> >To: Tesla list
> > ><tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>> >Subject: Re: Why am I
> getting small sparks? Am I>
> > >underpowered? (fwd)> >> >What are the details on
> your spark gap? I made a
> > >similar> coil, and had> >a similar problem. When
> I changed the fan to
> > >quench the> spark gap to a> >more powerful one,
> spark length improved 
> >from
> > >around 6" to> around 4' .> >> >Chris> >> >On Fri,
> 2007-08-10 at 12:54
> > >-0600, Tesla list wrote:> > > ----------
> Forwarded message ----------> > 
> > >
> > >Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:38:35 +0000> > > From:
> Trevor Keast
> > ><trevor_keast@xxxxxxxxxxx>> > > To:
> tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> > > Subject: Why am 
> >I
> > >getting small sparks? Am I> underpowered?> > >> >
> > Hi Guys,> > >> > > I
> > >managed to reach 'first light' with my coil last
> night> however I was
> > >unable to get the spark length that I was> hoping
> for and feel I may be
> > >underpowered.> > >> > > A basic overview of my
> coil is as follows:> > >> 
> > >
> > > > 6 inch secondary diameter> > > 24 inch
> secondary length> > > approx 
> >900
> > >windings on secondary (24 AWG magnet wire)> > >
> 13 Turns on primary made
> > >from 1/4 copper tube> > > static spark gap> > >
> beer bottle cap (14
> > >bottles)> > > 15,000V 30mA NST> > > 4 inch dryer
> tube toroid (approx 12in
> > >diameter)> > >> > > I tuned it as best I could
> but was unable to get
> > >sparks> bigger than about 6 inches. They were
> also quite dim and> could
> > >hardly be seen unless in the dark.> > >> > > I am
> wondering if I am
> > >underpowered? How can I improve> spark length?> >
> >> > > I greatly
> > >appreciate any advice or comments.> > >> > >
> Regards,> > >> > > Trevor.> 
> > >
> > > >>
>
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