Re: Cap gaps

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Cap gaps
From: RWB355-at-aol-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 06:35:54 -0600
Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Hi Mike,

My comments below

 Original Poster: Michael Tucknott <Michael.Tucknott-at-virgin-dot-net> 
 
Hi Cap builders

(i)with the gap on the cap do you use a gounded electrode between the
 two  points of the gap???

(ii)What is the best(read safest)way to discarge the cap after use.
  With the S/W bottle caps I built I just placed a grounded bar across
     all of the terminals
 
 
This really depends on your setup. 

a:) If you parallel ALL your caps you can just take a discharge rod from one
pole of the cap to the other. Using a 2-10 ohm resistor in series with your
discharge rod will absorb the pulse somewhat. This prevents the discharge rod
(a ball end is best) from sticking (welding) to your caps.

b:) If you series (AND parallel) your caps, the above method might leave a
residual charge on the plates. It shouldn´t be enough to kill you, but it
might give you an unpleasant surprise. The safest way to avoid this is to
discharge each cap seperately.

If your discharge electrode is grounded, it will prevent you from getting a
nasty shock.

Hope I could be of help
Coiler greets from germany,
Reinhard