RE: [TCML] interesting spark gap idea

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

Good point - my experience was with a 15/60 NST.  But using a static gap on a pig-powered coil is probably not the best choice anyway.

Regards, Gary Lau

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of futuret@xxxxxxx
> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 4:37 PM
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [TCML] interesting spark gap idea
> 
> 
>  Gary L,
> 
> If Gary W. used his vacuum gap on his large coil which gave 12 foot sparks,
> the higher current in his gap may explain why he was able to see performance
> changes even at higher blower speeds.  It would seem reasonable to me that
> the more powerful the coil is, the more air would be needed to keep the gap cool
> and help to quench it.  Maybe someone else mentioned this already, I wasn't
> following the posts.
> 
> Regards,
> John
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lau, Gary <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thu, Feb 18, 2010 4:20 pm
> Subject: RE: [TCML] interesting spark gap idea
> 
> 
> That's an excellent point - using something to control the blower speed.  If
> using a vacuum cleaner AC/DC "universal" motor, a triac-based lamp dimmer can
> be
> used if you want that instead of a variac (smaller & cheaper).  But my
> experience differs from Gary W's as far as the optimum speed setting.
> 
> I found that any speed beyond maybe 20% of full power offered no difference in
> spark performance.  It just made the vacuum cleaner motor louder, which I really
> didn't want.  And since a full-throttle vacuum cleaned motor can draw 10-12
> Amps, I'd rather have as much of my 20 Amp breaker budget going to my NST and
> not so much to the gap blower.
> 
> Regards, Gary Lau
> MA, USA


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