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Re: [TCML] Jacob's ladder plasma "Rope"



Hi David,

I haven't seen this effect (and haven't ran big ladder in 10 years), but from your description and given the basic components of a JL, I wonder if the rods are vibrating at 60Hz and influencing the arc with mechanical resonance?

Take care,
Bart

David Rieben wrote:
Hi all,


While playing around with my x-ray transformer fired climbing arc "Jacob's ladder" this evening, I noticed
an effect that I have seen before, but it does seem to
be a rare occurrence. Since it happened to occur once
tonight, it got me to thinking about it again. This will
probably be kind of hard to explain in words but here
is my attempt at it.

Most of the time the arc climbs with a "ragged" sound
and appearance. The plasma flame is rather ragged and shimmers much like a real flame. However, once in a great while (probably on the average of one climb out of several hundred arc ascensions) the arc climbs with a very smooth 60 hz. hum and kind of gently "rolls" up the rails with a smooth, 1/2" to 1" thick rope-like ap- pearance. It will usually curl and stretch out unusually far before finally breaking at the top of the rails, too. I really like this beauthiful effect but it seems to occur all to seldom and I can't seem to determine a "rhyme or rhy-
thm" for how or why it occurs when it does occur. I would
assume that it has something to do with the air currents
and such? I was just wondering how many others have experienced this effect and if anyone had any ideas as to the probable cause for this effect or if it could be re- liably repeatable upon demand? BTW, I've only noticed this effect with realtively high powered JLs (mine was
running off about 130 volts at 90 amps input to the 240
volt rated input to the x-ray transformer. The scale may be too small to actually notice this effect with the naked eye at low power levels, if it's occuring at all?

Pondering,
David Rieben
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