[TCML] Spark gaps (again)

[jimlux]

futuret at aol.com wrote:
> Jim, Dennis,
> 
> Interestingly when I compared a triggered single gap, to a
> two-gap rotary, I got the same spark length in either case.
> However the triggered gap produced a tremendous amount
> of light and noise.  The rotary gave off little light or noise.
> Apparently even with the tremendous light and noise from
> the triggered gap, the losses were not much different than
> with the rotary.  Both gaps ran at 120 bps, and were installed
> into the same TC for comparison.  I had to set the gap spacing
> at around 5/8" width, to insure that it would fire only when
> triggered.  Apparently a wide spacing and a lot of light and
> noise do not necessarily indicate high losses. 


Sound, even very loud sound, doesn't contain much energy.
And, a 100W arc lamp is really, really bright.

So you can lose a not very large amount of energy in the gap, and it 
will be pretty bright and loud.

If you've ever seen and heard a BIG jacobs ladder (like the one at the 
Deutsches Museum) running many kilowatts, you'll get an appreciation of it.