[TCML] Thyratron

[David Speck]

Paul,

Long story short, Thyratron tubes have been tried without a lot of 
success.  They are much happier switching DC than AC, and do not survive 
for long with large reverse currents. 

I think it was Richard Hull who built a small tabletop unit with a 
hydrogen thyratron, but is was in the one MOT power input range, not 
pole pig territory.

Thyratrons are like SCRs -- once triggered on, they stay on till the 
forward current drops to a specific level.  In a spark gap system, you 
have bidirectional AC current passing through the gap, not something 
that fits well with the thyratron mode.

HTH,

Dave

Paul McGlen wrote:
> Hi,
>    
>   I am rebuilding my pole pig powered coil and was wondering has anybody had successfully used a Hydrogen thyratron in place of the rotary spark gap? And if so, what was the result and was there any problems?
>    
>    Regards
> Paul McGlen