Re: [TCML] Spark Gap Tests

[Gary Lau <glau1024@xxxxxxxxx>]

Cabinet knobs are good for safety gaps, which by definition, do not
(hopefully) fire frequently.   But for a main spark gap, there's a couple of
problems.

The material - stainless steel - is not optimal.  It's a poor conductor of
heat, which means that the metal at the point of arcing will get hot
locally.  This will affect the breakdown voltage.  I also have heard reports
that stainless steel generates toxic fumes if it gets that hot, but I can't
confirm that.  Copper or brass are better, tungsten is best, though the
available tungsten shapes are limited.  Note also that cheap cabinet knows
look like brass, but are in fact brass-plated zinc alloy.

The other problem is the shape.  With spherical or similar shapes, the arc
will occur at one and only one point on the surface, and that point will get
hot and the metal there will quickly erode.  It's better to have two
parallel pipes so that the arc occurs across the length of the electrodes.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

On Sun, May 29, 2011 at 9:10 PM, Cole Awesome-Jordan <
jordancole@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi, recently i picked up two stainless steel cabinet knobs and they are
> coated in a lacker this does make the spark (just from a transformer not
> hooked to a MMC) behave oddly but it doesnt stop it. Has any else tried to
> use cabinet knobs for a spark gap before?
>
> Thanks
>
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