Re: Quick rotary question

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Quick rotary question
From: Richard Hull <hullr-at-whitlock-dot-com>
Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 10:26:26 -0800
Subscriber: hullr-at-whitlock-dot-com Fri Jan 3 21:55:48 1997

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subscriber: chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com Thu Jan  2 23:22:54 1997
> Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 22:31:03 -0700 (MST)
> From: Chip Atkinson <chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Quick rotary question
> 
> Does anyone know/remember off the top of thier head what causes the arc to
> follow the disk on a rotary gap?  I notice that it is stretching about 1"
> from the stationary electrodes.  Really what I'm asking is how to stop it.
> Should I add (more) static gaps?
> 
> Chip
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=->  Chip Atkinson
>  http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/homepage/chip/info.htm
>  --- Tighten it 'till it strips and back off half a turn ---
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Chip,

This is called "flaming" or "follow around" and is usually a sign of over 
coupling.  It just says "uncouple me or get rid of this gap".  One 
solution is to separate the electrodes a bit more.  A better one is to 
include a tappable series gap in series with the rotary.  You could lower 
the input voltage or uncouple the coil.  The cheesiest solution would be 
to back the electrodes off in your rotary.  The condition is a serious 
sign of faulty operation of a system.  Ideally, the rotary arcs sould be 
small, snow white pin points of light that are stable and don't oscillate 
about on the contacts.

Hope this helps a bit.

Richard Hull, TCBOR