Re: VICTOREEN SGCA-2500D (radioactive nickel)

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: VICTOREEN SGCA-2500D (radioactive nickel)
• From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 15:54:35 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

The nickel is there to stablize the breakdown voltage of the gap by
insuring that there are always some ions in the space between the gap. This
is a well known technique, and irradiation to stablize the breakdown is
actully required when making sphere gap measurements. You can irradiate
with UV, or with radioactive elements. Co60 has also been used, but Ni is
safer. Krytrons, which are a form of triggered spark gap, use a radioactive
Krypton isotope for the same reason.

> >These seem to be within the 10%  manufacturers tolerance.  On the tube
> >is written "Ni-63".  I suspected this to mean a radiactive isotope of
> >nickel.  I checked it out with my "Chernobel" (sp) radiation detector.
> >I got clicks every 5 to 10 seconds.  As a reference I get clicks once
> >a second from a thoriated tungsten rod purchased at a local welding
> >shop.  Does anyone know if the "D" in the label stands for deuterated?


> missed?. I looked up ni-63 and got the following : half life 100 years.
> beta emitter 63.88 Kev max 17.13 kev ave. it appears to be non hazardous,
> but if one of our health physics would like to comment..
> If they don't work, hey we can always go back to the plumbing off cuts.
> 

• Prev: Re: More: 120 bps vs. 240 bps comparison tests
• Next: RE: Magnet Wire Suppliers
• Index(es):
  • Main
  • Thread