[TCML] new spark gap

[bartb]

Hi Thomas,

I see you picked up some couplings. They work great!

The angle brackets however are a problem. Their mounted to wood and the 
wood will conduct, especially at the gap. Your adjustment capability is 
great, but the wooden block your mounting the angles on is not. Replace 
it with a nylon slab (cutting board; check out Walmart). A nylon slab 
will allow the angles to be used as is. Also, drill a hole for say a #8 
screw at sides of the outermost electrodes and attach the wires with a 
screw directly to the electrodes. This will prevent the angles 
themselves of conducting energy. Thus, all the energy is from one side 
of the far electrode to the other side without any losses except the gap 
electrodes themselves.

You need air. Air cooling is important. The air should flow inside and 
outside of these electrodes. This is why I like to epoxy these 
particular tubes into a pvc form. The epoxy holds well unless you 
physically try to break it away (and it will). But, for sparks, high 
temp epoxy works just fine and there is no need for angle brackets. 
However, the gap width is set. Thus, I use 6 electrodes with .050" 
spacing between each. You can set the gap by easily by shorting out 
electrodes (lots of ways to do that) which means that the end electrodes 
with wires attached remain unchanged.

http://www.classictesla.com/photos/ba45/s2752.jpg

In this photo, I attach wires directly to the electrodes. Yet, I can 
short out any number of electrodes between these to vary the total gap 
width. Also, the pvc tube draws air around and inside of the electrodes 
keeping them nice and cool. I have a hefty fan in my case.

I think you will see great improvement in your new gap compared to your 
previous.

Take care,
Bart

Thomas Ryckmans wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'd like to have your thoughts on my new spark gap (image 6)
>
> http://www.pupman.com/current/tryckmans/index.html
>
> for a small coil running on a 6kV 50 mA NST
>
> Many thanks!
>
> Thomas
>
> Or here:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/Thomas.Ryckmans/TeslaStuff/photo#518513727854380
> 5698
>
>
>
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