RE: Racing sparks Re: [TCML] Flashover Follow

["Phil Tuck" <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

All,
There was a good article on racing sparks from Dr R  in the  ?TCBA?
Newsletter pages 11 to 16,  from the 2nd quarter of 1984 (April, May, June).
You can view it on the web at *****universe 
  (Assumes you are a member)

Regards
Phil

www.hvtesla.com

-----Original Message-----
From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Miles Mauldin
Sent: 07 December 2010 16:30
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: Re: Racing sparks Re: [TCML] Flashover Follow

Hi Jim,

So, increasing the top load, and making appropriate tuning adjustments has
the potential to help with racing sparks?




________________________________
From: jimlux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, December 7, 2010 10:48:30 AM
Subject: Racing sparks Re: [TCML] Flashover Follow

Gary Lau wrote:
> I think I disagree on a couple of points.  I don't think that bang *rate*
> affects the tendency to generate racing sparks, unless changing the rate
> also affects the bang *size*.  Its truly the bang size that matters.
> 
> In addition to the obvious method of raising the secondary to reduce
> coupling, I've also found it effective to raise the top load relative to
the
> top of the secondary.  This may require the installation of a second,
> smaller toroid at the top of the secondary, to inhibit corona.
> 
> I think that increasing the top load size will also reduce the likelihood
of
> generating racing sparks, as the top load voltage will be reduced with
> higher values of top load capacitance.  But one can't simply change the
top
> load size without changing other things as well that will also impact
racing
> sparks, so it's difficult to generalize.



The whole thing of racing sparks is a conundrum anyway.  Is it a "breakdown 
along the secondary" phenomena?  Reducing k reduces the voltage, so that
attacks 
the problem at a sort of first principles level.  But, is it also a
"uneveness 
of field" that aggravates it: larger toploads tend to create a more even
field 
along the secondary, and so might "raising the secondary" or "removing inner

turns of primary".. it might be that the k decrease is incidental, but
what's 
really happening is that the field along the secondary is becoming more
uniform.

Is there a fine scale (nanoseconds) timing issue?  As current flows into the

topload, the voltage rises, but the rate at which it rises is determined by
the 
resonant frequency, and also the relative size of the topload to the self C
of 
the secondary itself.  Breakdown is known to be somewhat sensitive to rise
time.

Is there a mechanism of charge distribution along the (insulated) surface of
the 
secondary?  Has anyone ever made a "ridged" secondary (like HV insulators)
to 
increase the creepage length vs air gap length?

_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla

_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla

_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla