RE: [TCML] Spark gap

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

I'm similarly skeptical about a propeller gap's quenching.  The only thing that I can see superior quenching-wise is that the air flow over the gap may be better than in a cylinder gap.  But if that was all you need for superior quenching, then an air-blast gap should be the best solution of all.

I would think that a mult-segment cylinder gap is the best at actual quenching, due to the fact that being divided into multiple small arcs, they would be easier to cool and extinguish.  But I also believe that multi-segment gaps exhibit higher losses (each gap represents a fixed voltage drop, and the more gaps in series, the greater the total gap voltage drop, and loss).

The benefit of a propeller gap comes about in that it's a rotary gap.  If it's a sync gap, it's superior because the bangs can be engineered to be consistent in size and timing, rather than the chaotic mode inherent in static gaps.  If it's an async gap, it may be better than a static gap if the power supply is larger than what can be effectively handled with a static gap.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of huil888
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 1:34 AM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Spark gap
>
> Henry -
>
> This sounds plausible, but do you have any actual data (scope waveforms,
> etc) that would support the claim of better quenching  from a  "propeller
> gap" vs a conventional static spark gap?
>
> The data would have to be generated from a test setup where the only
> variable was the substitution of the two different types of gaps.
>
> If you have data, could you share it with the List?
>
> Regards,
> Scott Hanson
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Henry Hallam" <hallam@xxxxxxx>
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 9:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Spark gap
>
>
> > Among other things, the propeller gap is better at quenching (shutting off
> > the spark), especially at high power.
> >
> > Henry
> >
> >
> > Rich Schmuke wrote:
> >> I am going to ask a simple question but please give a simple answer. I am
> >> not a EE just a builder. I was asking about a rotor gap the other day and
> >> it
> >> was suggested I try a propeller gap for my 200ma coil. Well I have a
> >> motor
> >> from a 8" hard drive now and am going to build a mount as soon as it is
> >> warm
> >> enough to get to my shed. My question is why is a propeller at 3600 RPM
> >> better than a RQ copper tube gap?  60 cycle RQ  vs a 3600RPM it's the
> >> same
> >> break rate I think.
> >>
> >>
> >> Rich
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Tesla mailing list
> >> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tesla mailing list
> > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tesla mailing list
> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla