Paul has started something here,
With respect to experimentation, how many of you people have built something like a Jacob's Ladder or a Tesla Coil, or even a battery made from a lemon or a spud or a
few cups of beer.
This is what got me started in the Trade,
pure Experimentation, do you have a similar story, or do you enjoy just having a go at things such as this?.
It's the simple things in life that matter.
Your input please-

Trumpy,

Have setup a few Neon Transformers' High Voltage Secondaries to run a nice fat plasma upwards, across probes made from #12 Steel wire (used with T-Bar Ceilings).
These were 15 KV, 450 VA Transformers.

I have a 9 KV, +/- 300 VA Transformer hiding somewhere. If it comes out of hiding, I'll set it up, get some Digital Shots of the thing pushing a Plasma up the leads, then post the image.


Scott35 S.E.T.

BTW, my friends did not like the time period when I studied things like Capacitance!!!
(AKA... "Hey, grab this silver thing, please!!!" .... "OOOOOWWWWWWWCCCCHHH ,,,, @#%*&@!",,,......)

now that bring me memories about experments once i did make a "lighting aresster" i use old oil burner transformer and make a instering effect to make it more stronger one i use a GM HEI ingtion coil it do spit out little over 45 kv!! and use that with horn gap and show the lighting effects it look very cool

merci marc

Scott,
That sounds pretty cool, I would mind having a look at that one!.
Although, I don't really like the idea of touching the output, when it's turned on.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 02-18-2003).]

Scott,
Have you a list of simple Electrical Projects, for a few young Amateur Radio trainees,I have been asked to teach a class, I've got any Diagrams, could you please give me some help?.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 03-05-2003).]

In my trade school the teacher made "Jacob's Ladder" with two of the stools we used to sit on, 3 feet high (1 Meter) tapperd metal stool, he put it on the wood bench and hooked it up to neon a transformer.

It was working great and the class clown starts putting his foot in between the stools then we all saw a perfect arc find a hole in the heel of his boot and at the toe, it was great to watch him jump.

Same class we cooked hot dogs with 2 nails and 208 volts.

iwire,
That must have been pretty impressive seeing that guy put his foot between the stools!
I tried that trick, with the sausage and the nails, unfortunately, I used 400V, did'nt work too well, still cleaning sausage-meat off of the walls and ceiling, will try 230V,if there is a next time.

Scott35,
Sorry about the mucking around,
what I meant to say was the fact that I have no Circuit Diagrams, we started off with a Crystal Set Radio, and all of the people were asked to build one, next was a 1 transistor amp.
Still working on the next lesson, will be a push-pull amp.

Trumpy,
Let me know what types of circuit schematics you would like, and I'll see what can be done

Also, here's some images from the high voltage neon transformer (I found it!!!):

Here's some shots of the H.V. Neon Transformer, converted into a "Jacobs Ladder" Plasma producer.
*****Page #1 of 2*****



Fig. 1.1: Transformer with 1" Plasma at the bottom of the "Ladder Wires"



Fig. 1.2: Close-up of 2½ Plasma



Fig. 1.3: Digital Camera wasn't quick enough to catch the Plasma in one place,
so it appears as multiple Plasmas



Fig. 1.4: Another multi Plasma looking image



Fig. 1.5: Fat Plasma at around 3" wide gap.

Scott35 S.E.T.

(P.S. More Images to follow on next page)

H.V. Neon Transformer, converted into a "Jacobs Ladder" Plasma producer.
*****Page# 2 of 2*****



Fig. 2.1:



Fig. 2.2:



Fig. 2.3:



Fig. 2.4:



Fig. 2.5:

-----end.

Scott35 S.E.T.

Posted on 03.05.2003 @ 18:48:00 PST

Scott,
Thanks a heap for all of them pic's mate!,
just a short question, is it really necessary to bend the tops of the Ladder "strings", over at 90 Degrees?.
The one that I built, had the strings, just pointing upwards, I made heaps of Ozone, but we need it down here.
Regarding the Schematics, we are talking people that have never encountered Electronics, apart from turning thier TV or Stereo on and off, that are looking to pass an Exam to use all available Ham Radio frequencies, all modes.
What I really need is some Diagrams, that explain basic Digital Electronics, I've got all of the Analogue stuff and I have re-written it to make it easier to read.
Digital Radio is becoming more and more common, these days,especially with Packet Radio, I just want to give these people a really good grounding in the basics of Digital Equipment.
Can you help?, Scott.

Hello, Trumpy!

I'll quote some points from your message here.


Not necessary to bend the tops. I just did this to see if the Plasma would go up there and stay. With my older Neon
Transformer, the Plasma was much more stable, and would go upto the bent tops without being quenched.
Sometimes the Plasma would stay up there for at least 10 minutes!
The other Xformer had an output voltage of 15 KV, but that 15000 VAC still pushes only 30 ma. maximum. That
Xformer was rated 450 VA The one I have now is only 9 KV, and is also 30 ma. maximum (270 VA).
If the current was higher (like 60 ma), that would produce a nice stable Plasma @ 9 KV!


The Ozone production is one of the more primary reasons why I run it outside (came close to suffocation!). Love the
scent of the produced Ozone! Has a distinct smell.


I'll gather some things together, then E-mail them to you ASAP. Are you looking for Logic Gate truth tables and
flowchart schematics, along with maybe some IC basics? Would it help if I included some Boolean Algebra basics
too? (like figuring decimal value of a nibble (4 bit) or a Byte (8 bit) string, but staying away from Hex!).
I would imagine you are looking more towards Op-Amp circuitry info, and similar stuff, which I have a nice archive
of schematics which are hard copies (printed and stored on paper). Would be nice to have these schematics in
AutoCAD format, or at least a scanned image - just soooooooooo much work to do this!

Scott35 S.E.T.

BTW, I stumbled across an old post by you asking me about posting info and schematics regarding KWH metering
via CTs. I'll reply to it next.

S.E.T.

I’m saving my nickels for one of these transformers… It may show up on your doorstep some day, Scott. ;-) How far a gap will a 69kV arc need?

General Electric JVT-350 voltage transformer, 240V:69,000V, 4.5kVA, 560 lbs, 42-in H, 37-in W

Bjarney,

I'm drooling over the idea of setting up a Jakes Ladder with that Transformer!!!

Man, that would be a nice fat Plasma!!!

The 9KV Xformer needs an air gap of at least 1/4" to kick the initial starting arc through and rupture the dielectric strength of the air. Once that takes place, the Plasma hops into place. Largest Plasma with the 9KV guy was in the 4" range.

When the air has excessive impurities (more precicely, high concentrations of Salt Water vapor pushed inland from Pacific Hurricanes, etc.) I can get an initializing arc across a 1/2" air gap. Barometric Pressure is normally below 28.8 mb at those times also.

Scott35 S.E.T.

I've always said that I should play around with these HV experiments, but never seem to have gotten around to it! One day I'll really have to spend some time with this fun stuff.

Very distinctive, isn't it? Maybe it's one reason why I always used to like riding on the London Underground when I was a kid. Down in the tubes the ozone contributed considerably to the distinctive odor of the network.

Then I grew up a little and discovered the same ozone produced by the corona from failing EHT insulation in a TV set.

Scott/Paul,
Regarding the Ozone thing, I was just having a joke at the fact that we have a hole in our Ozone layer down here, if you want sun-burn, come down here and experience it.
Scott, please do not go to any great trouble on my account, just do what you can, I'm not going to cry, you know!.

Back in the first part of the 20th century, ozone was considered quite beneficial, and ozone-generators were sold.

Nowadays, people are told that large quantities of O3 aren't good for you, except up in the atmospshere blocking excess UV, of course!

Paul,
So I am told, Ozone, is very bad for the Lungs, causing tissue breakdown in the alveoli.
Are the Ozone generators, that were being sold back then, the same sort of thing as a Negative Ion generator, sold in large amounts during the 1980's-90's?.
My uncle had one, I don't think that it worked properly, I never felt any "refreshing effects" from it.

No, they're not the same thing. Ozone is a molecule comprised of three oxygen atoms instead of the usual two.

A negative ion is an atom which still contains the same protons/neutrons in its necleus but which has one or more extra electrons orbiting it.

For some odd reason, I would not want my digicam within a 2000 feet of this building: http://home1.gte.net/res07cmo/hv/cole/cole.htm

Am I being unnecessarily gun shy?

Bj,
Thanks very much for the Pics,mate!.
Coolness,mate!.

Scott, aside from the wire probes hooked to the secondary's terminals, is there anything else connected to the transformer for the Jacob's ladder? This seems like something I'll try in the hallway of my building!!

I saw a Grolsch sign someone had tossed out today...except I spied it from the window of a passing train so I couldn't exactly run out and pick it up...

Sven,

Nothing more than AC input power for the Primary and some experimenting with leads distances!

Good luck and BE CAREFULL!!!

This should say it all:



More precisely, the wordage just above the dude getting shocked from the Gronded Conductor side of the Receptacle!

Scott35

All I can say to that Cartoon is EXCELLENT.

I have looked for that kind of stuff on the net for a long time. If anyone else has Electrical humour or places to get it, Please show it to me.

Regards Gray

I am sure you folks would enjoy a visit to The Boston Museum of Science Theater of Electricity They have Tesla coil demonstrations and the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator.

Indoor lightning is cool I have been there a few times. In the picture you can see a guy in the lower cage demonstrating the "Faraday Cage" these are some of the smaller sparks seen during the show many are 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters)



Here is a link to take you to their site, I highly recomend a visit if you come to Boston
http://mos.org/sln/toe/

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 03-16-2003).]

Iwire,
That looks like a cool sort of a device, I think I have seen it on TV before, but not actually working though .
Would be great to hop in the cage, with all that High Voltage jumping around, just like at work!

Trumpy — I remember awhile back you mentioned raising a portable grounding jumper into some live 33kV. To me, THAT is more vaporized copper than I would care to see “up close and personal.” ;-)

{We all make mistakes...but it's good to be around afterwards to be able to tell others what to watch out for.}

Bjarney,
I'm hearin' you loud and clear, there mate!
Thank God for the invention of the Flash Suit.
Even had to replace the wrecked Earth Stick!
and believe me they aren't cheap.

Trumpy — Of course we are glad to find you here to tell about it.

One question about line work...are you familiar with a "Modiewark" non-contact AC-voltage detector? They are sold in the US by Salisbury Rubber Co, but I understand they are made in Australia. [Thought maybe they may be used in NZ, too.]

Bjarney,
I heard of them, before, but I have never actually seen one.
I understand they are used exclusively for checking HV lines for voltage presence?.

Bjarney,
Just to clarify my comments on the Modiewark
What I meant was, we don't use this particular brand of equipment.
We use Vector-branded Electrical Safety gear
(Earth sticks, Hot sticks, Gauntlets, Cover-up Gear, etc), you see over here, stuff like this must be approved by our standards,
so normally, you only see NZ-made equipment in use, here.
Vector, is a medium sized company, that only makes this sort of equipment, but man is it expensive!.
Wouldn't mind seeing if there are other manufacturers of Linework gear on the Net.