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Re: alternative static spark gaps???





Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: Clifford D Fahrer <cfahrer-at-in-touch-dot-net>
> 
> The carbon rods will work, but not as well as brass or tungsten, (tungsten is
> best).  Brass will require polishing and re-gapping after each use.
> 
> If you try carbon rods, make sure you use a light shield around the gaps. The
> light will be very bright and will damage eyes. (there will probably be
some UV
> present also.)  Never look directly at a carbon rod discharge!

Glad you survived the Knife, Cliff.

Carbon arc rods will NOT work for tesla work.  The reason a carbon
arc is so quiet and stable is that, on AC, the incandescent carbon
burns during the zero crossing, maintaining a hot, conductive
channel.  The arc never quenches!  Scoping a carbon arc on AC will
show a nice steady sine wave with little to no ignition spike.  A
carbon arc is exactly the opposite of what is wanted for tesla work,
which is, high standoff voltage and quick quenching.

As someone else mentioned earlier, all the simple innovations have
already been tried and either rejected or refined for use at some
point in the past.  Very little if anything to be discovered in the
spark gap area.

John

-- 
John De Armond
johngdSPAMNOT-at-bellsouth-dot-net
http://neonjohn.4mg-dot-com
Neon John's Custom Neon
Cleveland, TN
"Bendin' Glass 'n Passin' Gas"