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Re: electrode distance for stationary spark gap

Original poster: "Jim Lux" <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 10:03 AM
Subject: electrode distance for stationary spark gap


> Original poster: "Christopher" <cpfortun@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Hello all....
>
> I am trying to figure out how you determine how much of a gap distance
> between two stationary electrodes should be? For a stationary spark gap.
Is
> there a formula ? All responses are appreciated :)

Sure, there's a formula, but cut and try works better.  There's a whole lot
of uncertainties, and it's unlikely that your gap will be exactly like the
one in the formula.  Make your gap adjustable and "tune for maximum
smoke"....(assuming you have another safety gap to keep you from breaking
things).

To a first order, 1 inch is 70 kV... A 15kV NST puts out about 20kV peak, so
the gap will be a bit more than 1/4" total.

Multiple smaller gaps in series works better.  A line of short copper pipe
segments works nicely, and can be easily adjusted, either by moving the pipe
segments, or by shorting out some of the gaps.  They also cool easily by
blowing a small (or big) fan on them.

> Thanks
> Chris
>
>
>
>