@goat

Thank you for the information; that's a really good idea.

@groundloop
Nice math !

I think Goat's neon bulb is a great idea for higher voltages;  personally  I like marco's "mechanical pencil" graphite method for the lower voltages (<20V) because 1) graphite resistance is basically like 1 ohm per cm according to my experiments. . . 2) one can line up the graphite under a microscope, and then once the gap is precisely calibrated using a grid, one can easily glue the graphite to the surface using two drops of superglue (cyanoacrylate i think).

Of course, this require a microscope     but I am working on that part...  maybe more sneaking into labs late night at night.   

@ Groundloop & All

I did not mean to say that the NE2 electrodes are better than the "mechanical pencil" graphite.  All that was meant by my post is an alternative method of making a spark gap.

As far as the "3 Volt spark gap" you mention, I have not seen the circuit that Marco has mentioned as the following in a previous post on this thread:

"I have played with many of these types of devices a couple of years ago and as they are presented here they are not OU devices.  But they can be."

Then he mentioned the spark gap.

Although spark gaps are quite visible at high voltages I have yet to make a continuous spark gap at 3 Volts or even 12 Volts!  Unless it's when you first hook up the last terminal of the battery to the correctly laid out circuit (meaning precise impedance) for the load to power source ratio and frequency.

Maybe I'm asking to be spoon fed by saying this but Marco if you're seeing this dis-agreement between me and Groundloop as a moot point please "Pray Tell" because I do not wish to alienate Groundloop and I in further discussions, could you please post what you meant by spark gap?  Was it used in your OU circuits at low or high voltage(s)?

With all regards for everyone,
Paul

@ Feynman

I'm wondering, could you try to find out what the resistance of the NE2 electrodes would be compare to the graphite?

If anyone else on the forum knows about this please reply.

Just curious as I'm not able to find out what the cathode and anode of the NE2 are made of and their resistance and breakdown voltage.

Regards,
Paul

Goat, good idea about the NE2, it's probably worth a try.

I was thinking about the graphite spark gap and to use the piece of paper as a separator. The only problem I'm trying to resolve is mounting the two bits of graphite and connecting them to wire. I suppose we can glue the wire to the ends of the graphite and then glue the graphite as Feynman proposes.

We could use a human hair to space out the ends, it being about 50um in diameter it's not too bad but not that close to 3um either. Still better than nothing for the time being, and could probably be done with a magnifying glass instead of a microscope.

Just for reference:

A human hair is .003" dia.  A piece of paper (copier type light weight) is about .002"

Bill