RE: spark gap muffler?

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

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>

>Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
><Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com>
>
> >Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz
><twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> >
> >I've been working this week on designing/building the brunt of the new
>SRSG
> >for Marks arrival this weekend (hence being at the motor shop yesterday
>to
> >get the cradle).
>
> >Since the SRSG will be used in close proximity to studens/public it has
>to
> >be bombproof.
>
>Agreed, within reason.

"Bombproof" is a rock clibming term for an anchor that can withstand a 
continuous 3000Lbs load. I'm a 150 lbs wimp so that kind of safety factor is 
a good, reliable thing that I never have to worry about. That's what I want 
in a rotor shield. In the event of a electrode collision, rotor failure, or 
other catastophic failure I want to know that no matter how big the noise, 
nothing is coming out of that box.

Just imagine what happens if we loose an electrode and take out someones 12 
year old. 1/4" diamondplate is NOT unreasonable for the blast shield. I want 
something that would reasonably stop a 30/30 shell.


>
> >Since the SRSG will be used often in a completely darkened room, it has
>to
> >be light tight (or very close).
>
>Why?  As long as you don't stare at the arc for extended periods,
>there's no hazard, and it's likely that a Lexan shield will remove much
>of the UV hazard.  For taking photos, I've never needed to cover the
>gap.

I'm looking foreward to being able to run the coil in complete darkness 
becasue I want to do a LOT of studying on corona and breakout. The gap makes 
a LOT of light and makes viewing corona difficult. I want to be able to see 
the corona better.

Also, people tend to have the cap in their field of view when watching the 
coil. I always have it in the back of my head that someone (Especially me or 
the crew who spend LOTS of time near the coil) are gonna wake up some night 
with gravel-eye. I've had that once before (from welding, not coiling) and 
do NOT wish to repeat the experiance.


>I've always thought that operating coil pictures that don't show
>the coil guts must be hiding sloppy workmanship, and that the light
>produced from the gap does a good job illuminating the important bits.

I have only 2 modes of workmanship, Kludge and Art, and with the amount of 
pics Bets takes both are well documented :)


>See http://people.ne.mediaone-dot-net/lau/tesla/sparks.htm
>
> >Since the SRSG performance will suffer in it's own self-generated
>atmosphere
> >it has to be vented/cooled.
>
>I think that the UV from the gap is more detrimental than the ozone to
>the gap materials.
>
> >Since the SRSG is frightfully loud it has to be acousticly shielded.
>
>If your gap is louder than the streamers coming off the top load,
>something is wrong.
>

They're about the same I think. In a large, open concrete room with the 
echos it's hard to tell. We're pulling about 50" arcs (AND I DONT KNOW WHY!) 
but it's stable and working well. I'm looking foreward to haveing the 
shielded gap and knowing exactly how loud a streamer is.

>Regards, Gary Lau
>MA, USA.

Thanks :)

Duck
Geek-1















Christopher A. Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
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