a simple electric component that acts like a spark gap?

is there a simple electric component that acts like a spark gap? something that will not conduct until a voltage is reached? i would like to replace the inefficient spark gap in the Tesla coil. also, also voltage needs to be very precise, the breakdown voltage across a gap varies for a clean oscillation. then, the coil should be less noisy.  

Comments

[freenergyfuture]

i have just barely read the responses, but i need to know if there is any device that will provide a high frequency spark gap powered by 1.5v? I desire to harness and experiment with cold electricity, but first i must be able to use CE.

[-max-]

thats what im trying to do, or similar, anyway. i suppose you will need to make an oscillator circuit with a mosfet and other components.

you will probably need more voltage and use something like a neon lamp

[freenergyfuture]

unfortunately i am a beginner when it comes to electronic circuits, i have researched joule thieves and decided they are the best i can utilize, combined with the FLEET design's. how long would it take for AA to power a 250v 2.7uf(i think, the prints a little hard to read) capacitor? i also have 6 10v 2200uf & 6 10v 1000uf caps. 20 2n3904 transistors & 5 sets of 5 vari resistors @ 100ohm, 1k, 10k, 100k, &500k. using a 1.5'' pvc as toroid.

other research includes most of www.free-energy-info.co.uk/ chpt. 5. is FLEET JT's

[-max-]

a 1.5v battery will only charge the 2.7uf capacitor to 1.5V or however much voltage is in the battery. aside from that, im not sure, but a second should do it.

the 2200uf 1000uf caps will probably take a couple seconds

i learned that 2n3904 transistors aren't the best for joule thief's, 2n2222 work better.

and what is a FLEET design and why ar you using pvc as a toroid?

[freenergyfuture]

you can learn more about FLEET by going to chapter 5 of the website and using ctrl-F to find it under joule thief. i am using a pvc because that is all that i have available and is what a FLEET uses. is there a way of combining several 2n3904's together to increase the frequency? i have read; by using high frequency and high voltage through a spark gap, cold electricity is produced. CE flows on the outside of a wire rather then through it. i have read and seen on youtube several JT's that are able to charge other batteries.

[-max-]

if you want to increase the freq. then use a smaller toroid.

[freenergyfuture]

would a marx generator be useful in effecting CE? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHGK1trR9mg&feature=related

this is a don smith circuit for a tesla coil, would routing the JT through it be useful for CE? any info on CE via the most simple manner will be of great help.

[-max-]

i dont know much about CE and what is JT? about CE, i dont know. what you have there for your circuit looks good, just add a spark gap. but i know nothing about CE.

[freenergyfuture]

As I stated, information I've gathered states, a high frequency high voltage spark gap will cause Cold Electricity. It is the exact opposite of regular Electricity, a pure form of electricity. the more power used by it the colder the item becomes. as for the Dom Smith circuit, it appears that it can increase dc via the pulsing; what I need is to know exactly how it works. Before I am willing to put anything together I must first learn all I can about it in order to not make costly mistakes.

[-max-]

well there is a 555 timer set up in a stable config, so it will oscillate, the low power signal will power the mosfet which will drive the coil. the 1n4007 is to block out the emf voltage kickback from the coil from the sensitive components, (mosfet and 555)

there is nothing costly about the circuit, the coil or flyback transformer could be salvaged from the junk yard or ebay, the mosfet diodes and resistors can come from a old tube tv (where you find the flyback),

this really isn't the bet circuit, and im not sure it will produce CE, it looks like it make high voltage. im not sure of the freq.

[orksecurity]

Random thought: A NE2 neon bulb is a spark gap of sorts. Probably not at the breakdown voltage you want, though. (I wonder what stacking several in series would do.)

[-max-]

i have tryed that. but its impractical. its easier and cheaper just to make a SG

[orksecurity]

In that case, I think the answer is "make a spark gap". I know that isn't the answer you wanted.

[orksecurity]

I haven't looked at them in any detail, but by my understanding MOVs would *not* give you the desired response.

*Any* current surge is going to lose some power to heat and EM radiation.

[-max-]

What are MOVs?

[orksecurity]

Metal Oxide Varistor. The component used in most consumer surge suppressors.

[-max-]

that wont work because once the breakdown voltage is reached, the thing will conduct until all the power to it goes back to 0V. (i may be wrong) that's what i understand.

a spark gap will stop "conducting" when the voltage drops below breakdown voltage (too little voltage to be sustain a arc)

[steveastrouk]

If the gap is well made, and the electrodes polished, a spark gap is a remarkably clean HT switch

Steve

[-max-]

and heat

[-max-]

but it still is ineffationt (i know this because it loses power in the form of electromagnetic radiation radio waves, light, UV and maybe more)

[steveastrouk]

And you think any real semiconductor switch has a lower loss do you ?

[-max-]

also, im sure a semiconductor has a more exact breakdown voltage, not easly affected by a change an humidity, air-pressure, heat, or wind

[steveastrouk]

So enclose your airgap, put it in a nice atmosphere controlled enclosure.

[-max-]

then the heat will build up, causing fluctuations in frequency.

[steveastrouk]

Not if its designed properly it won't

[-max-]

designing it properly can be expensive. i was just wondering if there is any kind of better replacement.

[-max-]

im not talking about anything in particular

[steveastrouk]

Clearly.