I found this in CRT TV on the CRT tube driver PCB.
What are they and what is their schematic symbol?
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4An overvoltage spark gap perhaps? – Dzarda May 23 '14 at 10:02
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Was is directly connected to the pins on the CRT? If yes its almost certainly a spark gap. – Warren Hill May 23 '14 at 10:04
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What is that cloudy-white plastic material around it? Is it rubbery, flimsy, solid, etc.. – Funkyguy Jul 31 '14 at 18:22
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@Funkyguy it is solid, not at all rubbery. – Cornelius Jul 31 '14 at 18:23
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IS there an actual gap between the wires in side the part labelled with "air gap" from the pictures it looks like a nick in the wires but there could be a small gap in there too. – placeholder Jul 31 '14 at 18:43
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@placeholder There IS a gap there. – Cornelius Jul 31 '14 at 18:45
1 Answers
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As noted in comments, the part shown in the photograph is a spark gap. This page lists several such spark gaps and similar / related parts.
Below is an inert-gas filled spark gap, closest in functionality to the part in the question, yet safer due to being glass encapsulated:
A more common modern version of this device is offered by Littelfuse and others, and comes in several different packages:
The through-hole versions are available on eBay for around $1 to $2 in single units, if you would like to experiment with one.
Various schematic symbols for spark gaps are documented on WikiMedia:
Of these, symbol #2 is most commonly supported in the schematic software I have used.
Anindo Ghosh
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To me, #1 is a surge arrester (i.e. metal oxide varistor.) #4 is a generic symbol for variable resistance, i.e. a temperature measuring thermistor. I would use #2 for a spark gap. – Li-aung Yip Aug 01 '14 at 04:26
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1For info, the Littelfuse style gas-filled spark-gaps are used extensively in telecomms for lightning protection. In fact, give or take every UK phone line has one across the end where it enters the telephone exchange. – John U Aug 01 '14 at 09:18