Re: Vacuum/blast gap

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

Original poster: "Marry Krutsch by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <u236-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Hi Steve,

	My first sparkgap was a single, blown sparkgap, powered by a small
vacuum/blower motor.  I ran my 2kVA twin copier xfmr system with this
gap, and it performed quite well.  The gap was a solid 1/2" SS round
almost butted up against a SS tube of the same diameter.  The air went
through the tube, then hit the end of the solid round and fanned out,
killing the arc.  I ended up tapering the solid round slightly to
improve air flow and cut down on turbulence.  It worked better after
that.

	I "graduated" to a sucker gap of similar but larger design.  I'm
running 4kVA with it, and getting 5 foot sparks.  This system is messed
up, so much power is being eaten in the gap, yet it won't power arc. 
The 1500VA vacuum blower helps a bit here ;-)).

	I don't know what your gap looks like, or functions, but it sounds to
me like you could use some more air through it.  Having said that, more
air isn't always better.  My 4 kVA system runs better with an air flow
well below what the blower is capable of.  I always put a variac on the
motor input, so I can vary the speed.

	As you say, you could put your blower on your RQ gap.  Might improve
performance, and might not.  May be worth a shot.

Hope this helps,
Winston K.

	

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Steven Ward by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<srward16-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I recently attempted to reproduce Gary Lau's sucker gap.  I bought the same
> vacuum motor.  My meter claims 3A for the motor, yet Gary claims about
> 10A?!?!  Thats not what im getting at.  My problem is that this gaps stinks!
>   Of course, i could have made it differently, but it doesnt perform nearly
> as well as me RQ gap.  Though, i must say, it makes the coolest noises when
> you turn off the coil, and you hear all kinds of pitched wistling from the
> motor.  It sounds real sci-fi, like a major shut down.  Im running with a
> 15/120 PSU.  Im wondering it anyone has used this type of gap, but with air
> blowing outward??  So basically, i need some ideas, or reccomendations, on
> what i should do.  Sould i keep the RQ and put the vac motor on it??  Or
> should i make the single gap, but blow out the arc, rather than suck it up?
> All opinions are wanted.  Thanks,
> 
> Steve Ward.