Chris Freedom: one Kapton/coated plate step-charged to high voltage but made zero gas; open question is how a 10–50 kHz step charge squares with a ~1 µs water relaxation time

Chris Freedom, Discord #neuralstan20-testing 2026-11-08. Test cell: 2×10×124 mm 304 SS plates, 9 mm gap, 3–4 ppm water. He coated one plate. Result (his report, no numbers yet): the cell step-charged and reached high voltage, but produced ZERO gas. Interpretation: the barrier blocks conduction, so the held voltage sits across the coating and not the water. The leak that spoils the step charge on bare plates is the same current that makes gas. Target: restrict the current (4,798,661 says "to a minimum value"), not block it. 22 nF cap confirmed never connected in any shot from 2026-11-04 to 11-08. CONTRADICTION RAISED by Chris: my documents show step charge at about 10 kHz (WO 89/12704: 26 V primary, 10 kHz) and 20–50 kHz (WO 92/22679), driven from a 555, but bulk 3–4 ppm water relaxes in ε/σ ≈ 1.2 µs. Candidate resolutions, none confirmed: (1) the step charge is referenced to ground (Dealership Manual, Hydrogen Gas Gun Technology: "always positive in direct relationship to negative ground potential"), i.e. common mode, which the water cannot drain; (2) a leaky barrier on the plate surface (conditioned stainless oxide film; Stephen Meyer: "barrier technology"); archive search found no conditioning numbers; (3) the edges do the work, not a held voltage. Requested test: 10-pulse train at about 10 kHz, one probe per plate vs CT, then compute differential (V+ − V−) and common mode ((V+ + V−)/2) for each pulse. Also still open: gate on-time for shot (b), and the coated-cell voltage and pulse count.