What is this component?

there's nothing between the 2 electrodes, that's just a smudge on the glass tubing.. it reminds me of one of them high voltage flashes from a camera, no part number, found it in a box of electronics that were going to be thrown out..

Looks like applying a high voltage to the electrodes should produce a small lightning inside...
I'd wear glasses and stay safe away from the thing, though... :wink:

Looks like a spark gap tube. Thinking of building an arduino controlled Tesla?

um, I have no idea just never seen one before! - also found a mercury tilt switch and heaps of other extracted parts from old boards i presume..

I'll keep it then maybe one day a small lightning storm :slight_smile: - thanks :slight_smile:

You get spark gap components (a lot smaller) in HT side of CRT control circuits maybe this is one from the valve era (even to old for me lol)

Spark gaps also appear in assorted telecommunications equipment; the kind that connect to long wires strung through the air... They're apparently required due to regulatory issues; I don't know if they'd do any good in the event of a nearby lightning strike.