Re: fluorescent tube question

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

Original poster: "marc metlicka by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>



Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "David Thomson by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dave-at-volantis-dot-org>
> 
> Hi Dave,
> 
> > How does the output of a tesla coil light a fluorescent tube from a
> > distance without direct contact?
> 
>         The tube lights, largely, from current flows thru the tube.
> 
> Not quite.  Tesla coils work at very high voltages, therefore the current is
> quite low.  It's the high energy state of the voltage and charge that
> excites the mercury and other gasses within the tube and causes photo
> phosphorescence.

Correct! But it is the high frequency forward\reversal fields that
excite the atoms. A local thing within each action that cascades in
overall lighting.


> 
>         (Question:
>         Is there any lighting due to 'direct' excitation of the
>         phosphors?  Tricky experiment to do....   Hmmmmm.  Use
>         loose CRT instead of a fluorescent tube?  Caution with the
>         loose CRT....)
> 
> I've been thinking about using a loose CRT, too.  Tesla did many experiments
> in this manner.  Like you said, anybody considering this experiment should
> be very careful.  With high enough energy input into a CRT, strong X-rays
> can be produced.

Very good advise!!!
The best array would be individual transmit\detectors that could be
placed in a grid array surrounding the topload. Each being able to
excite an amount of light proportional to e-field present, then detect
this to a very large data acquisition system.


> 
> Dave T.
  Marc M.