Vacuum Triggered Spark Gap

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

Original poster: "Jeremy Scott by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <supertux1-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Hi,

I'm going to build one of those 'sucker' type static
gaps that use a vacuum motor assembly and copper pipe.

I'm using 3/4" copper pipe with a 'ring' of 1/8"
tungsten rods strapped around it that protrude
slightly longer than the copper pipe.

It will probably function fairly well by itself
without any triggering, as most designs of this
type do. However, I want to have the option of
making it triggerable.

I've studied the plans for the HEI coil/lutron dimmer
circuits at
http://www.classictesla-dot-com/download/tgap.pdf

I'd like to make something similar, but instead of an
HEI coil, I was considering a small NST. (6KV/20mA)

Provided the current and voltage are acceptable from
the NST to initiate breakdown, would a standard 5A
unmodified Lutron dimmer work for it's phase control?

Could I eliminate some of the discrete components that
are in the web plans listed above since the NST should
be more current-capable than the HEI?


Thanks,

Jeremy