RE: Spark Gaps

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <gary.lau@xxxxxx>

I'm not entirely sure, but I think the fan shouldn't affect the gap
breakdown voltage too much, unless it's pressurizing or rarifying the
air between the electrodes.  But by all means be safe and make the
adjustment with the air flowing.

With a static gap, the gap will typically fire at a much higher rate
than 120 times per second.  It's nice to think that it will fire at the
peak of each half cycle, but no matter how well you try to adjust the
gap width, it will never do that for more than a couple seconds at a
time.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> Original poster: "Daniel Koll" <dk_spl_audio@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> I have a quick question about spark gaps.  I adjusted my main gap so
that
> with just the NST hooked up it will fire reliably everytime I plug in
the
> NST (I did this without my cooling fan running).  I adjusted my safety
gaps
> so that when I plug in the NST they will never fire.  Now, If I turn
on my
> fan for my main gap, (squirrel cage type out of a microwave) plug in
the
> NST and fan, it is much more loud and the arc quickly blows out.  I
know
> that in TC operation the main gap should fire 120 times a minutes but
is my
> gaps adjusted ok?  Should I adjust it with the fan running?  Thanks
>
>