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

[otmaskin5@xxxxxxx]

Much appreciate your advice Bart.? I'll be trying your suggestions (& put away the sledge hammer for now).? Dennis


-----Original Message-----
From: bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:06 am
Subject: Re: Fwd: [TCML] Safety gap firing - (JAVATC Questions)


Hi Dennis,?
?
otmaskin5@xxxxxxx wrote:?
> 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"?
Yes, 0.3" total in your case is too conservative. I would probably double that. You know, DC mentioned he doesn't even use a safety gap in this type of situation. He's right in the fact that the main gap clamps the voltage. The only time the safety gap needs to fire is during some unforeseen catastrophe with the main gap. We seem to get worked up over the safety gap unnecessarily. I still think it's a good idea, but it should not be so close as to prevent the main gap from performing it's function consistently. Even with a safety gap, the NST's can still die out of nowhere. Caps are easy to design for the over voltage, but the NST's are really the limiting component (they are what they are) and is the real need for a safety gap. But it's not easy to figure out how far is too far. The coil itself plays a major role with that as well as how we much voltage we allow at the gap.?
?
Take care,?
Bart?
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