Re: Poor Performance Question

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

Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz" <acmdq-at-uol-dot-com.br> 

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.
 >

Wind surely makes a lot of difference. Even a slight breeze is enough
to impede the formation of long streamers. You see the effect
immediately
in the appearance of the streamers. Other factors may be the ground, as
you suggest (try a counterpoise), and maybe humidity condensing on the
coil causing racing sparks.

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz