But Copper and Brass look so much cooler :)
Everything on my T-Filter is brass except for 2 bolts that HD dont stock.
----- Reply message -----
From: "Gary Lau" <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "p_novotny" <p_novotny@xxxxxxxxx>, "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [TCML] Spark Gap Electrodes - Flat or Rounded
Date: Tue, Jan 19, 2016 10:39 AM
No, unless you're using steel wire in the tank circuit. Cabling to/from
the Terry Filter is strictly low current and anything at all will do. For
a 12/30 powered coil, steel hardware won't matter at all.
Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA
On Tue, Jan 19, 2016 at 8:03 AM, p_novotny via Tesla <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
>
>
> I have quite a bit of steel in use on my 12kv 30ma coil (spark gap, terry
> filter connectors, bucket cap connectors), would I see a considerable
> improvement by changing those to copper?
>
>
> Sent on the new Sprint Network from my Samsung Galaxy S®4
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 01/19/2016 6:55 AM (GMT-06:00)
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Spark Gap Electrodes - Flat or Rounded
>
> Just beware that many cap nuts sold (I'm looking at you Home Depot) are
> just brass-plated white metal.
>
> Regards, Gary Lau
> MA, USA
>
> On Mon, Jan 18, 2016 at 11:18 PM, Carl Noggle <cn8@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > Brass cap nuts (acorn nuts) from Ace Hardware make excellent electrodes.
> > Maxwell used brass electrodes in their big Marx gaps used for 30,000 amps
> > and they had very long life.
> >
> > You can also get copper-tungsten rods, which machine very well, about 15%
> > Cu and 85% W. I've been using the same set for 20 years in my 2 kW coil
> > with occasional polishing.
> >
> > ---Carl
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 1/18/2016 5:26 PM, msweeney23@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >> Ok thanks, maybe ill just use screw on brass electrodes for now i dont
> >> have anything to round out tungsten.
> >>
> >> Sent from my HTC
> >>
> >> ----- Reply message -----
> >> From: "Carl Noggle" <cn8@xxxxxxx>
> >> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Subject: [TCML] Spark Gap Electrodes - Flat or Rounded
> >> Date: Mon, Jan 18, 2016 6:12 PM
> >>
> >> All spark gaps should be rounded. The field enhancement at the edges of
> >> a flat gap electrode will cause it to go into corona before the spark
> >> forms, giving erratic operation. A radius of curvature less than about
> >> 25% of the gap spacing will go into corona first. Also, with wear the
> >> electrodes will eventually become rounded, requiring adjustment during
> >> the process. (Nature usually knows best.)
> >>
> >> ---Carl
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 1/18/2016 4:21 PM, Matthew Sweeney wrote:
> >>
> >>> I see a great deal of conflicting information regarding this, and I'm
> in
> >>> the process of making my tungsten spark gap for a small single NST
> >>> (12k/30ma) coil.
> >>>
> >>> Should I be using tungsten rods with flat ends, or rounded? I've heard
> >>> that
> >>> rounded ends are good for safety gaps but actual spark gaps should have
> >>> nice flattened ends. Is this true for static gaps and not just rotary
> >>> gaps?
> >>>
> >>> I will eventually make an RQ gap but starting off simple for now with a
> >>> basic one or two static rod gap design.
> >>>
> >>> Any help appreciated!
> >>>
> >>> Matt
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> >>> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
> >>>
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> >> Tesla mailing list
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> >>
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tesla mailing list
> > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
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> >
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