RE: [TCML] How Important is Location?

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

I cannot cite a figure for what difference might be expected.  The trouble is, with a static gap, one would have to carefully adjust the gap width to ensure identical breakdown voltage and bang size between the two altitudes, and few of us are equipped to do this accurately.  

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Miles Mauldin
> Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 4:06 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] How Important is Location?
> 
> Hum.  How much of a difference are you talking about?  Our friends in Denver,
> CO., can make bigger sparks with the same power? My coil will perform better
> while a low preasure weather system is present?  I can see if it were Mt. Everest
> where an average of 255 Torr (10-12 inHg), sea level is 760 Torr or 29.95 inHg.
> But do you think a difference of 4 inHg would make a noticable difference (average
> difference between sea level and Denver)?
> 
> Miles
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Mon, March 29, 2010 12:39:10 PM
> Subject: RE: [TCML] How Important is Location?
> 
> You ask an interesting question that I've not seen previously discussed here.  I
> think there are two things that would be affected by altitude.
> 
> If using a static spark gap, assuming that no adjustment was made for altitude, the
> gap breakdown voltage for a given gap width will be lower at high altitudes.  This
> would result in a smaller "bang" size and lower performance, so to keep things
> equal, a high-altitude coil would need the gap width expanded to compensate.
> 
> And, it's likely that for the same topload voltage, the length of sparks will be longer
> at higher altitudes, since low pressure gasses are more easily ionized.
> 
> Regards, Gary Lau
> MA, USA
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> > Behalf Of Alice
> > Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 12:19 PM
> > To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [TCML] How Important is Location?
> >
> > Hello everyone,
> >
> > I was reading how you all were discussing whether or not the 50 or 60hz of
> different
> > countries is an issue.  I was wondering about another location issue, sea level vs.
> > mountaintop.  If one made a Tesla coil that works perfectly at sea level and then
> > took it to a mountaintop, would it work the same way?  I know cooking directions
> > are slightly different for high altitude, would it be the same case here?  I recall
> > reading something Tesla wrote where he said there was some sort of difference.
> >
> > I just joined, by the way.  I am from Florida.  I recently have been reading a lot
> > about Tesla and his coils.  I am new to this.  Please try to answer me in a not too
> > complex fashion as I am not an electrical engineer.
> >
> > Thank you all,
> >
> > Becky
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