[TCML] Massive VTTC!!!

["Carlos Van Camp" <carlos@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi guys (and gals),
I have been building a VERY large VTTC for the past 2 years, and I am in the final stages of testing and tuning.
This machine has been built with brand new high power components and has an input power capacity of upto 50kw.
The valve is a tetrode (4CX15000a) with a plate dissapation of upto 15kw.
I am an experienced builder of large SGTC, but fairly new to valve coils.
The trouble is that dispite an input of 30-35kw of power (CW mode), I am only achieving arcs 2-3 foot long (6 arcs at once coming off the top electrode).
I understand that VTTC's make much shorter arcs for the power applied, but I have heard of people making arcs 8 ft long with less power than I have available...
So... What am I doing wrong...?

Does using a stacatto system truely make arcs longer...? Or does it just reduce the input power?

Does any body have practical experience using thyratrons in place of spark gaps, and would one be suitable to produce a musical coil? (ie changing pulse rate to play tunes etc)

Thanks,

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