Something about speed?
It has to be fast and synced for the explosive lense to work properly, and the detonators require a heavy current with a steep rise. So you need to switch KV@KA in <uS. Tubes and spark gaps, sand need not apply.
I have just checked eBay and there are thyratrons for sale but what do people use them for really, other than collectors items?
A good reading about this odd component.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~aobauer/Evolution of Hydrogen Thyratron.pdf
http://www.xs4all.nl/~aobauer/Evolution of Hydrogen Thyratron.pdf
They would nicely fit in this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14492&highlight=
/Hugo 🙂
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14492&highlight=
/Hugo 🙂
I have more tubes in my collection, a tripple anode triode with carbon anodes, very nice looking 

peranders said:...but what do people use them for really, other than collectors items?
I pulled one out of an old oscilloscope. It was used as a linear ramp generator for the sweep. Having such a nice HV swing, it only needed a buffer to drive the horizontal plates high capacitance at microsecond rates.
I have sold the tube on eBay and only two guys in the whole world were interested, a very special part I would guess.
What is the purpose of 25kV and 500 A?
What is the purpose of 25kV and 500 A?
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