RE: Magnifier topload size?

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

Original poster: "Jeff W. Parisse by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jparisse-at-teslacoil-dot-com>

TCML,

A smooth metal toroid is the only pro way to go. Bumps or surface
perturbations lowers the breakout voltage by leaking off corona (or
streamers). A totally smooth toroid will develop the largest charge
before breakout and usually makes longer arcs. Many years ago (before
the founding of kVA) we compared many "homebuilt" alternatives to the
Smooth AL toroid and the results were pretty obvious that the smooth
toroids worked "better".

Greg's method allowed visitors to climb into the sphere and look out. I
bet he'd have more pF with a smooth continuous surface.

Jeff




 > Corrugated flexible plastic drain pipe comes in diameters up
 > to 36" and
 > could be used to create just about
 > any diameter toroid  relatively inexpensively compared to a
 > much smaller
 > spun aluminum unit. A 3' X 16' or
 > a 3' X 20'  toroid could be constructed for a reasonable cost.
 >
 > Granted, it wouldn't look as pretty or professional as a spun
 > aluminum
 > toroid, but it would be functional.
 >
 > I think Greg Leyh's metal tubing fabrication method could
 > also be used to
 > construct gargantuan sized
 > toroids at reasonable cost.