Re: [TCML] Safety gap firing - (JAVATC Questions)

["DC Cox" <resonance@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ahhh, I think I spotted another problem.

At 60 mA power source, you only need 4-5 total gaps.  Each gap requires
energy to ionize and dissapates a lot of available primary energy as heat
--- each gap area is heated to 6,000 degrees F (why they are very hot when
you touch them), and this wastes a lot of energy.  The combo of low primary
current from the beer bottle caps (very high losses), and excessive spark
gaps (more excessive losses) are literally sapping all the available energy
out of your primary circuit.  The result is low primary current, producing a
weak magnetic field linking the sec coil, and very low output potential and
current, hence very weak sparks.

Want super (max) performance from your coil?  Use a Weazle hyperbaric gap
which operates on an old vacuum cleaner motor (local repair shop will
probably give you one), an electrical junction T in PVC, and a few brass
plumbing fittings (total cost around $15).  These things quench so well they
work like magic to pep up almost any nst powered coil.

Regards,

Dr. Resonance

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 3:44 PM, <otmaskin5@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Thank you to those who repsonded to my post.? Regarding a couple of the
> suggestions and additional questions I received:
>
> Bart - my spark gap = RQ style, 10 pipes - 1" diameter- 4" long, each gap
> 0.03" X 9 = 0.27.? My NST easily arcs accross all segments, might go longer,
> but I only built 9 gaps.
>
> The safety is part of a Terry filter & is similar to yours (3?electrodes /
> center one grounded), the electrodes are small cabinet-type door knobs -
> relatively flat surface, but slightly curved (convex).? Right now, each gap
> is set at 0.15" for a total safety gap with of 0.3".? Maybe I've just been
> too conservative at 0.3"?
>
> DC - I actually have a 21 turn primary.? It's tuned (painstakingly) to
> 14.25 turns.? JAVATC calculated tuning at 14.054, kind of close to what I
> arrived at.? My concern with your suggestion about the need for no safety
> gap is that, if there's an underlying problem, and I don't address that &
> just rely on MOVs, I'll just wear out?the MOVs? That said, I would be still
> be interested in your Terry filter plans.? Thank you for the offer.
>
> Matt D - I relate to your comments?about trying "what ifs."? My coiling
> preference is decidedly to experiment, rather than just build a coil based
> on a precise cookie cutter set of plans.? That's why my primary has 21 turns
> for flexibility & my basement is full of various home-made toroids.?
>
> I designed my coil - for better or worse - from ideas I got from many of
> your sites, reading electronics books, other sources - rather than a single
> set of plans.? I've been able to exceed the Freau factor and worked through
> a lot of problems along the way, but this safety gap thing is so far the
> only?one I've been stuck on.
>
> Here's my game plan:
> 1. First, barrow a scope & verify my tuning with it.
> 2. Then, gradually open the gaps as Bart recommends, monitoring along the
> way.
> 3. If that doesn't work, threaten the @#$%! coil with a sledgehammer.
>
> More to follow...Thanks, Dennis
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: otmaskin5@xxxxxxx
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 7:59 pm
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Safety gap firing - (JAVATC Questions)
>
>
>
> This has been the most frustrating part of my coiling experience.? When
> running
> the coil, my safety gap fires anywhere between frequently and constantly.?
> I
> have tuned, re-tuned, re-re-tuned ad-infinitum, raised & lowered the
> toroid,
> raised & lowered the secondary, rebuilt components including the safety
> gap, the
> MMC, spark gap & tried several suggestions from this group.? In well over
> 2
> years of coiling, I have not been able to solve this problem
>
> I have my static spark gap closed down so far, that I'm surprised I even
> get any
> sparks at all (although somehow, I am getting?pretty decent sparks).? But
> I know
> I'm seriously limiting performance.? Right now, I'm down to a 0.12" spark
> gap
> with a 15/60 NST - & STILL get some safety gap firing.? The NST connected
> only
> to the spark gap easily fires all nine segments for 0.27" total gap every
> time I
> try it.? I know a lot of guys are running much wider than I am.? Seems
> like from
> everything I read from other coilers, they are at 0.25" spark gaps or
> more.? The
> Dr. sent me plans for a 12000 NST coil with a 0.25" gap spec.? I'm not
> looking
> to go crazy overextending my components with an improperly wide spark gap,
> but
> my current 0.12" seems ridiculously low.
>
> I am going to try resetting the safety gap as Bart suggests, although what
> he
> describes seem pretty close to what I did.? I'm also going to find someone
> with
> a scope & signal generator locally to verify tuning.? But beyond that I'm
> stumped.? I'll let you know?what happens.? Thanks for listening.? Dennis
> Hopkinton MA
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sun, 20 Apr 2008 6:17 pm
> Subject: Re: [TCML] JAVATC Questions
>
>
> Hi Dennis,?
> ?
> Yes, 1/8" total gap. This is a safety gap and your main gap is something
> else,
> right? The "safety" gap you will have to experiment with even after it's
> on the
> system. The main gap should be set to just fire with the transformer. The
> safety
> gap should be set to not fire except if the main gap has a problem. How
> often
> the safety gap fires will depend on the regularity of the main gap. If the
> safety gap fires too often, it can heat up and then start firing more and
> more
> often as the electrodes heat and as the air around the safety gap becomes
> more
> ionized.?
> ?
> Take care,?
> Bart?
> ?
>
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