Re: Safety gap question

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 4/12/01 11:08:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

> Howdy All,
>  
>  I am running a small coil with one side of an OBIT, and put a safety gap
>  on it last night. I had to adjust the gap quite close to get it to fire
>  with nothing else attached, and then when I hooked up the TC, it
>  continuously fired across the safety. I adjusted it out to where it only
>  pops occasionally now.
>  
>  I read that if your gap fires after you adjust it, something else is
>  wrong, but it didn't say wrong in what way. Can anybody help? I don't
>  wanna blow my new OBIT.

Jonathon,

The theory is that you should adjust the safety gap with nothing
else connected to teh OBIT as you have done.  When you
connect it to the coil, if the safety fires continuously, you then adjust
the main coil spark gap narrower until the safety gap stops firing.
Of course this will reduce your spark output.  Such is life with OBIT's.
There's no free lunch.  Either you get a long OBIT life and short TC
sparks, or you get a short OBIT life and long TC sparks.

I usually get my OBIT's at a hamfest for $1 or $2, so if they burn
out, I don't worry much about it.  You can also get OBIT's from
oil heating companies if there's any in your area.

Cheers,
John Freau

>  
>  Thanks
>  
>  Jonathan Peakall