RE: [TCML] voltage

["Gary Lau" <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Bob Svangren
> Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2012 12:57 PM
> To: undisclosed-recipients:
> Subject: [TCML] voltage
> 
> 
> Hi again guys,
>   Thanks to you fellows who have responded to my letter of adopting a
voltage
> standard for our Tesla coils.
>   As usual, there are many ideas on how to measure the voltage in an inch
of arc.
> No one seems to agree on this subject. Down through the years, I have read
many
> statements from some very smart men and none of them could agree either.
The
> facts are that measuring high voltage is not an exact science.
>   I now find myself having to defend my statements on a voltage standard
for all
> of us. If you reread my letter
> you will find that my intent wasn't to state that 25KV was an exact
science but just
> a voltage standard.

To state that something is a "voltage standard" implies that it *is* an
exact science.

>   Like it or not, those of us who have built Tesla coils are showmen to
some
> degree. What point is there to building these fine machines if one
couldn't show
> them off to family , friends, schools, ETC. In the process of displaying
our fine
> contrivances, someone will invariably ask, how many volts the machine is
> producing.
>   How do I answer this question?  Do i say, i'm not really sure?  Do i
say, it
> depends who's book you read. Do i say, it depends on the math and formulas
i
> use. None of this would have any meaning to them and i'm sure they would
be
> disappointed in my answer.

Your answer depends on whether you would deliberately lie in order to
impress (or sell stun guns or Tesla coils), or if your goal is to provide
the most truthful representation of the facts.  Terry Fritz had demonstrated
a simple, peer-reviewed E-field solution to measuring the top load voltage,
although calibrating it I think was a challenge.  It is agreed that it's
easy to calculate a theoretical upper voltage limit, which ignores all loss
mechanisms, based upon equating primary bang energy to secondary energy, via
conservation of energy.  So you could easily provide a fully truthful
response in the form "I don't possess the required instrumentation and
calibration equipment necessary to determine the actual voltage, but based
on lossless conservation of energy, the peak secondary voltage can be shown
to be something less than sqrt [(Ls/Lp) * Vbang * Vbang] volts".  But as far
as acceptable bragging rights, among coilers, simple point-to-point
straight-line spark length is the accepted metric.

>   The 20 KV per inch of arc could be dead on or completely wrong but this
is not
> the point. The point of my letter has been missed by most.

A simplistic XXKv/inch rule IS dead wrong - it completely overlooks the fact
that continuous arcs grow with time.  Consider what happens when you make a
Jacobs ladder with a 15kV NST.  By the time the arc rises to the top and
breaks, it may be 4" or more long.  Do you believe that the 15kV NST is
putting out 80kV?

>    I would much prefer to tell my audience that my coil is producing a
million volts.

If you want to tell uneducated onlookers that your coil is producing a
million volts, go ahead, but we don't want to hear about it.  This forum is
about what really happens, not formulating a convenient lie.

> How could they dispute this.  I still think that the 20 KV per inch would
be a good
> number for the Goldman voltage standard.

> 
>
Bob


Gary Lau
MA, USA

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