Re: Triggered gap questions

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Hollmike-at-aol-dot-com>

Ok,  Here's a question for the triggered gap gurus: 
    I have been reading this thread with much interest.  It sounds like a 
great alternative to the SRSG!    One thing I read is that the primary 
current passes 'through' the trigger electrode.  My question is, could the 
trigger electrode be positioned slightly out of alignment with the primary 
gap electrodes so the triggered arc would have to take a slightly 'bent' 
path?  This, if so, would seem to me to help alleviate heating and/or 
corrosion of the trigger electrode. 
   It would seem that the trigger electrode could be made into a sharp point 
and cause the ionization of the space between the gap electrodes to provide 
the conductive channel to form more easily and not actually have the primary 
current contact the trigger electrode at all(or very little anyway).   If the 
trigger electrode were positioned from below the primary gap electrodes, the 
heat might also help 'move' the arc away from the trigger electrode. 
 The first objection to this idea, I imagine, is that might argue that this 
would effectively make the gap too wide and kill a NST, but if one placed 
another gap or two in series, the triggered gap could have a large percentage 
length change, but the overall gap length would not change by much.  Having 
the series gaps would also seem to aid quenching as well. 
Comments? 
Mike