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Re: Sparks

 * Carbons Sent to: usa-tesla-at-usa-dot-net
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Quoting gcerny-at-ix-dot-netcom-dot-com (Glenn Cerny):

 > How about running down the system specs a bit more? RQ

> Thanks for the congratulations!  This project never would have 
> materialized without the sharing of knowledge and resources
> found within this group.  

No problem, you did all the work, and only coilers really
understand how much hand crafting goes into a coil project.

> As first fired, below are what I was working with:

> Primary 100' of .250 copper tubing wound in a very shallow 
> saucer.  Secondary 700 or so turns of 22ga enameled magnet wire
> on a 4" acrylic tube covered with 2 coats of Behr build 50.
> Torroid 3" X 20" alum dryer duct covered with alum tape.
> Condenser Products .025-at-20kv capacitor. Four 1.5" dia copper 
> tubes gaped about .015-.018" each with my shop vac pointed at 
> them.

Bingo, your gaps are the problem. Four pipes are giving you only
three gaps, and those are gapped too narrow to get a decent peak
voltage. You need to add more electrodes and/or increase the gap
between each electrode. I would do both. I have found that gaps
set around .030 inches with six to eight actual gaps (add an
electrode to each end for a total of 8-10 electrodes) works
pretty well for 15kv neons.

> 1- 60ma -at-15kv neon
> Variac 120v 20a
> Safety gap at a quarter of an inch from each side to ground.
> One ground rod drilled and pounded through the basement floor.

> I could not get sparks to break out of my next larger torroid 
> (4"X 30").  I played, and it tried, but it wouldn't break.

Your tank circuit peak voltage was not set high enough to deliver
the necessary peak powers to break out from this toroid. As you
open your gaps up/add more electrodes your peak powers will climb
accordingly.

> The whole system was wired with 12ga solid copper.  I have 
> changed over the primary to 6ga but need a "clip" for the 
> moveable secondary tap.  Took off the neon and hooked up my 
> 6kva Thorardson and the big variac with the welder and bypass 
> caps and filters.  May have another report somtime this 
> weekend....

I bet!

Richard Quick


... If all else fails... Throw another megavolt across it!
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12