[TCML] Rectifying a Tesla coil

[Kurt Schraner]

Hi Toni,

comments interspersed...

Sfxneon at aol.com wrote:
> Beautiful specimen of a tube (or tubes?), Kurt!

It's one tube, I "think", because the interconnections are open.

>
> Is this a 3 phase rectifier? I suppose by having all three tubes
> share the
> same internal atmosphere, their voltage drop remains matched much
> longer.

I assume, the 3 partial tubes were just connected in parallel, in order to
draw more current from an induction coil, to feed an X-ray tube. Find it
difficult to imagine a use for 3 phase, because there is only one gas space,
and the potental differences between the 3 phases probably would draw
currents in the interconnections.

> It appears to contain some amount of gas or vapor at a low
> enough pressure  to produce cathode rays, causing the glass on the
> spiral electrode end to  fluoresce a greenish color, while being high
> enough to have a purplish glow  discharge
> in the middle of the envelope. Are their any detectable mercury
> droplets
> inside the tubes, or, are those all just light reflections?

Later is true. Didn't see any mercury dropplets in the glass.
>
> You're probably not producing any x-ray radiation that would even
> escape  the glass envelope as long as there is a glow discharge
> visible inside the tube.

Not being experienced with X-rays, I prefer to behave careful, and having it
tested by a suitable Geiger counter or other dosimeter device, before making
further experiments.

> It would be interesting to find out if it still works, or was pulled
> from service because it became "gassy". I seemed to notice some
> darkening of the glass envelope.

It was definitely not pulled out (see answer to Ed, before). The darkening
of the glass looks more pronounced in the photo, than by visual inspection.
>
> Nice find, and thanks for sharing it!
>
> Tony Greer
> **************

Best regards, Kurt