RE: TC Spark Energy... THOR vs OLTC ][

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

Original poster: "Steve Conner" <steve.conner-at-optosci-dot-com> 

 >Resonant freq. is 66 kHz.
 >we get an output voltage of 20*30 =600 kV.

8-o

This is actually very interesting finding. When we compare THOR and the OLTC
II... Both resonate at 66kHz, both give about 600kV output voltage, and (I
think I remember) both run at similar bps. Yet THOR produces 3 meter long
sparks, and my coil (so far) only gives about 50". The only possible
explanation is the difference in bang energy.

This strongly suggests that the most important factor in streamer/spark
length is simply the amount of energy a coil can store in its
secondary/terminal capacitance. (this makes sense, because we know that
streamers consume charge in short bursts of high current as they grow.) THOR
must have a bigger secondary and toroid, with more capacitance. (Mine is 10"
x 30", 1700 turns, with a 8" x 24" toroid. Total energy storage capacitance
is around 35pF.)

It also kind of ties in with Richard Hull and Ed Wingate's magnifier work.
They have spent a lot of time experimenting with maggies for best
performance. And from looking at how their machines have turned out, you can
see that they don't seem to care about Antonio-style "alignments", but their
toroids have just kept getting bigger and bigger. "Toploaded beyond reason
and near insanity" as Richard Hull said.

This suggests that the peak output voltage, waveshape etc, doesn't really
matter, the important thing is just to slosh as much of the primary cap
energy into the biggest toroid possible.

What do you think?

Steve C.