Re: Poor Performance Question

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz> 

On 1 Nov 2004, at 17:52, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "EMMETT SECREST" <secrest2032-at-msn-dot-com>
 >
 > Over the weekend I took my spark gap TC outside for the first time. I
 > was disappointed in the performance and am hoping someone on the list
 > could offer some suggestions as to the cause of the less than previous
 > output of my coil. Always before it produced multiple three to four
 > foot streamers but when I set it up outside it produce 12 to 18"
 > streamers and would have racing sparks down the secondary. I tried
 > playing with the tuning but it did not help. I am of the opinion that
 > the poor output and racing was due to a poor ground and windy
 > conditions. I had driven a .5" galvanized pipe into the ground about a
 > foot deep and connected to it via a set of automotive jumper cables.
 > All previous runs of the coil have been inside and connected to a
 > copper ground rod six feet into the earth and connected with six feet
 > of no. 4 copper. Any theories, suggestions, etc. are appreciated.
 >
 > Emmett

Was the atmosphere damp? Was a breeze or wind present?

Malcolm