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Re: [TCML] Tesla coil spark gap dies away AFTER working
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Re: [TCML] Tesla coil spark gap dies away AFTER working
Hi Matthew,
There are a couple of possibilities. It was not obvious from your description whether you meant that the spark in the gap died or the sparks produced by the TC secondary died out, or both. Here are the thinks that could be going wrong:
1) Overheating of the gap causes it to break down sooner and sooner as it heats resulting in progressively lower output. Solution: Cooling fan on the gap.
2) Oxidation of the spark gap faces especially small surface ones like acorn nuts with L-brackets increases the resistance of the gap with lower output over time. Solution: Gap with larger faces, cleaning, AND cooling.
3) If such a gap is mounted on wood, there can be conduction by carbon tracking in the wood again causing lower power flowing through the gap. Solution: Mount gap on a truly non-conductive surface i.e. plastic.
4) Worst case: The gap was opened too far (>>0.5mm/KV ) and you have progressive internal puncture failure of your caps. Solution: Close gap to no more than 0.5mm/KV and pray that your caps self-healing ability has not been fried. If caps are of the mica or "door-knob variety and have been punctured, they will break down at lower and lower voltages but may still test "good" with a low-voltage LCR meter.
Hope this helps,
Matt D.
-----Original Message-----
From: matty mcqueeney <matty_queeney@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Apr 1, 2014 7:16 am
Subject: [TCML] Tesla coil spark gap dies away AFTER working
Hi everyone,
I tested my tesla coil yesterday and it worked brilliantly, However after a
while the sparks started to die away.
The spark gap I use is similar to the one below
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=static+spark+gap&rlz=1C1CHFX_en-GBGB451GB451&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&imgil=NWnKp-waegpo3M%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcQ2JuOAoqZ_hysRtikPUS02F5iqJfou3s420mxZljldrdHUHmAs%253B640%253B366%253BALVlAI-_8sEZyM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.teslacoildesign.com%25252Fconstruction.html&source=iu&usg=__ehjc7fNIUcOTpWPuz5o-zTDUOLI%3D&sa=X&ei=spo6U-29Ga3s0gWY9oCwDw&ved=0CDsQ9QEwAw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=AchLHojuxBwHJM%253A%3BUaN-2DPwohW_nM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flab.dereklow.co%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252Fteslacoil-31-470x328.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flab.dereklow.co%252Fspark-gap-tesla-coil%252F%3B470%3B328
I do not use a fan to cool it down either.
I was wondering if you knew any reason why the spark gap was dieing away?
Thanks Matthew.
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