Re: [TCML] voltage

[David Dean <deano@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 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?

I would say "too high to be able to measure with any acceptable degree of accuracy ", or something 
to that effect. Surely that would be impressive enough.

> 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. 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. I would much
> prefer to tell my audience that my coil is producing a million volts. How
> could they dispute this.  I still think that the 20 KV per inch would be a
> good number for the Goldman voltage standard.

I believe that I would feel "more honored", if someone were to name a standard after me, if that 
standard were to actually mean something, than something that merely conveys bragging rights.

I believe you can tell your audience whatever you want to tell them, as entertainment, but if you 
want to educate your audience, you need to be honest with them. They are likely to be more 
disappointed if you tell them it is a million volts and later they find out it is not true, than it 
is if they hear an honest  "I don't know" right up front.

The highest potential is reached just before breakout, and the potential starts to drop as soon as a 
streamer starts to form. So if you have a way to measure the top terminal potential just before 
breakout, then you have something to work with. If you have a way to make a "rule of thumb" based on 
something that can be compared or measured like the ROC of the topload, which can then be determined 
to be "approximate within an acceptable degree of accuracy " , even if you are willing to accept 
+/-50%, then maybe you have something.

Just my opinion
deano
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