Re: More on spark delay

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 4/23/02 9:13:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:


>
> Just a quick response (before dinner...):  I suppose such a comparison would
> be
> difficult to do, given all the other variables.  But you & others have
> suggested to me before that I might cut down on my time duration & I've been
> meaning to experiment with that but haven't yet.  I  think I will adapt my
> cycle-counter so that I can effect a shut-off at 64 cycles, 128, 256, etc. 
> That will just take some wire-wrap re-wiring (once I figure out what to
> re-wire, that is) & adding a switch.  I'll try to get to it in the next few
> days--or weeks.



Ken,

Reducing the duration probably won't make the spark longer, but 
it will reduce the power input.  So the spark will be longer relative to 
input power  :)   The sparks will probably be dimmer.  To really 
make the sparks longer, the pulse rate must be faster, and/or 
the peak power higher.  The fast pulse rate should brighten up
the sparks again also.  I'd aim for a pulse rate of at least 60PPS,
maybe 120 PPS.

Strangely, my small staccato (pulsed) VTTC's spark length
does not increase as I increase the pulse rate from 1PPS, to
60PPS.  But the larger VTTC's spark length does increase
as I raise the pulse rate to 60PPS.


>
> I do like the loud bang I get from fat sparks (& I'm sure that's what has, in
> part, made me pretty deaf...).



I'm sorry to hear that.  Earplugs are a little mentioned Tesla coil
safety item.

Cheers,
John


>
> Ken Herrick
>