Re: Tesla's "mercury break"

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Tesla's "mercury break"
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 19:48:35 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Bill Lemieux[SMTP:gomez-at-netherworld-dot-com]
Sent: 	Wednesday, December 03, 1997 5:29 PM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: Tesla's "mercury break"

Tesla List wrote:
 
> From:   Alfred A. Skrocki[SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
> Sent:   Sunday, November 30, 1997 6:59 AM
> To:     Tesla List
> Subject:        Re: Florescent Foolishness

> Not quite! Dr. tesla NEVER used mercury in ANY spark gaps! What he did was
> build a mercury turbine contactor to make and break current entering the
> primary of his early H.V. coils and the voltage at the mercury contactors
> never exceeded 1Kv.

Alfred:

 Preface: I'm not debating safety in this post- just taking exception
with your assertion that Dr. Tesla did not use mercury in his spark
gaps.

 I am not certain this is true, unless you are differentiating "spark
gap" from "primary break device".  If that is the case, I think you'd be
splitting hairs, since the purpose of each device is the same.  Further,
if arcing occurs in the break device, then as far as I'm concerned, it's
a spark gap.

Dr. Tesla makes frequent mention in his Colorado Springs Notes of a
"mercury break" that is run from an electric motor, not a turbine. 
These were operated at 12kV and more on his big oscillator.  I recall
one passage that mentioned he had operated one of these "mercury breaks"
at a sufficiently low voltage as to "eliminate any arc whatsoever"
implying that this was a mercury-commutated gap.  (this was in a
discussion of the rotary break used in his large oscillator)

I will search through the book when I get the time and will quote
chapter and verse when (if) I find it.  Be patient, I'm in the middle of
moving, plus working various side jobs, plus my full-time contracts, and
it's a thick book!

So, are we arguing semantics, or did I misunderstand your post?

respectfully,
"Gomez"


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