[time-nuts] Thunderbolt stability and ambient temperature

[John Miles]

> Rex
>
> your experience with the hot bar is quite common.

Sounds like a pretty reasonable manifestation of the Leidenfrost effect.
The water in contact with the hot end of the bar vaporizes, and the
resulting steam layer (which might be microscopic) does a good job
insulating the bar.  There's nowhere else for the heat to radiate or conduct
to, except towards the cold end of the bar.

-- john, KE5FX