Lutetium-
Hack Chat Transcript, Part 2
09/23/2020 at 20:08 • 0 comments
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rofl![]()
Wait, really?![]()
yeah. He's planning 2 123 foot towers, in bipolar configuration. www.LOD.org![]()
And the... FCC is chill with that![]()
Same thing happened to me! Measuring HV is a color TV, got zapped through a screwdriver I was levering up the anode cap with. 37,000 volts through my right hand and exited through my waist - jumped to the grounded outlet strip on the front of the bench.![]()
Nope. I have no idea how he will do so. Though, FCC is chill with his 40 foot tall (tallest in the world) 200kW coil currently![]()
Dan, welcome to the 37,000 volt club.. haha. No seriously, glad you were okay![]()
FCC is the worst. Why can't I blast LOFI electroswing at 1kW from the university transmitter? amirite![]()
kill-joys![]()
The screwdriver ended up stck in the wall behind me. I guess my arm muscles took on a life of their own at that moment and I threw it backwards. Good times.![]()
If you guys want to see a tesla coil that will blow you away...this is Greg's tesla coil. Solid state, largest in the world, and...this was filmed AT the old Wardenclyff site using tesla's old grounding system. One thing to note.....Greg found the Tesla's old ground was still better than anything he could set up, and the tesla coil would not stop pulling ground strikes. Check out the viddy! ![]()
LOL been there! Broke a chair once, faffing with a 3.3kv mains transformer.![]()
Dan, that is amazing hahaha![]()
Did you fall out of the chair?![]()
Yep, but the char legs got caught under the desk on my way back!![]()
My hit knocked me to the ground. I was standing over a running car![]()
Good times! :-D![]()
@Jay Bowles Not HV related, but what is your review of this film?![]()
As serious and important as it is to be safe....it is remarkable how many of us start out our journeys the same way......a single shock that makes you respect electric![]()
Speaking of good time, ima bow out, friends![]()
Thanks for stopping by Dayton!![]()
![]()
Bye Dayton, thanks for stopping by![]()
Wait a second.......![]()
That was a fun movie.![]()
Maybe we can do film making Hack Chat next time![]()
Never seen it, I will check it out!![]()
lol....I am also a television actor. That was the last film I was in. A fun independent film![]()
Since them i'm 90% youtube.![]()
that tesla coil test @ tesla's coil is insane.![]()
how the hell do you power a tesla coil that does 120 - 200000W /![]()
?![]()
Right?! Speaking with greg, he built the coil to be fully scalable. So, to make it three times taller (120 feet) he just needs to scale every component up by 3, and all things will still work the same![]()
many hamsters, but they scale nicely![]()
I guess that's not THAT bad![]()
120,000W = 250A @ 480![]()
which still makes me want to vomit thinking about it![]()
Haha. I too would like to know how it is powered. Well folks, I need to return to my 9-5![]()
Jay: Tesla Explorer.. still talking with him?![]()
but it's within the realm of traditional power delivery![]()
I have spoken to Explorere, but it has been a while. He does great work!![]()
@Jay Bowles throw a link out to your channel. I want to go distract myself from my 9-5![]()
:)![]()
OK, thanks Jay - I was just about to call time. Thanks so much for coming on today, we really appreciate it. And thanks to everyone for coming.![]()
It has been nice speaking with you all. If you have not visited my channel, check out www.youtube.com/PlasmaChannel![]()
Jay: I have adviced him on various tricks.. to improve the systems![]()
Thanks Jay, great chat!![]()
Thanks everyone. Stay safe, keep experimenting!![]()
Teaser for week after next - @LesWright will be here to talk about his homebrrew lasers. We'll have lotas of HV talk then too, I'll bet![]()
thank you![]()
Next week is Adam Zeloof talking about mechanical engineering![]()
Thanks all - I'll post a transcript soon -
Hack Chat Transcript, Part 1
09/23/2020 at 20:06 • 0 commentsHi everyone, welcome to Hack Chat! I'm Dan, I'll be the mod today as Jay Bowles takes us Into the Plasmaverse.
I know he was planning on doing this during his lunch break, which we really appreciate. But I haven't seen him log on yet - you out there, Jay?
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yay!![]()
There we go. Hi Jay!![]()
Like magic![]()
Hi Dan, sorry for the wait. My internet had plans of its own!![]()
I am free for a full hour, for any questions related to high voltage physics!![]()
No worries, thanks for soldiering through. Can you kick things off with a little about yourself?![]()
I'd be glad to. I live in Seattle (just outside of it) and am the host of Plasma Channel, a youtube channel dedicated to high voltage physics, ionic physics, and just about anything lightning related. I've had this passion since I made my first tesla coil when I was 15. Funny story - I made a big tesla coil and used it for my high school senior project. When I turned it on in my physics class, nearly lost their heads.![]()
https://www.youtube.com/c/PlasmaChannel/videos
Plasma Channel
I firmly believe that through physics, all things are possible. High Voltage physics, in particular, is pure magic. Let me show you the magic I see! This cha...
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You didn't fry anyone, did you?![]()
Since then, I have moved quite a bit, but constantly help experimenting and committing fully to self discovery.![]()
Have you explored keV? like acclerate eletrons in vacuum?![]()
Seems like a skipped field, I would have.. but I don't have the tools for doing anything interesting![]()
Erlend, that is a great question. It is a topic I plan on intesting in soon. I'm purchasing vacuum equipment this month.![]()
investing in soon*. The limitation for me has always been vacuum chambers and a lack of experience with glasswork![]()
b.t.w. need any negative output voltage "TV" flybacks?![]()
I never turn down a good flyback. They are thor's gift to the world![]()
Speaking of those, where would be the best place to scrounge one?![]()
Truly hard to find, are AC flyback transformers though. They do exist! I found that a few higher end brands of ionic air purifiers use AC flybacks, attached to an external voltage multiplier (inside the device)![]()
Well, I am a strong advocate for goodwill.![]()
I find so many of my flybacks at goodwill for 3-5 dollars. The little ones you can find inside of portable battery powered glass-tube TV's.![]()
Woe to the death of CRT monitors and TVs. Flybacks were once in abundance![]()
Jay: Well, I got a HV supply I should probably take a chance at trying to boot up, and fix some PCB design flaws![]()
AC flybacks are still in production for things like CO2 lasers. They show up on ebay. But sure old B&W monitors or oscilloscopes are a good bet too.![]()
And yes, got one positive output flyback and one negative output flyback on it![]()
You can also successfully wind your own as well.![]()
However, you can also buy them here I recently discovered: https://www.tedss.com/Catalog/Browse?searchString=1072.0333&inCategory=-![]()
So, old CRT are the best place for HV parts?![]()
Unless you can get physics lab stuff, I would guess it is![]()
You can find new parts online. Like the link I provided above. They are very, very cheap.![]()
You can still find some manufacturers online, and you can ask them to do variations for you![]()
I personally prefer the adventure of taking apart devices to extract their HV components. You learn about devices and circuits that way.![]()
What about old ignition coils? I used to have fun with those back in my Volkswagen phase. Any good for HV circuits?![]()
I believe Pacific Transformer Co even sends out free samples of custom transformers (if you can prove you've got the funding to order some later)![]()
Ignition coils I LOVE. but I also hate them. Anyone able to guess why ignition coils kind of are hard to drive?![]()
ignition coils? they do claim 30-50 kV on them.. there are solid plastic ones that would likely be good![]()
Jay: You may want a capacitor over the primary,or the transistor gets it![]()
They put out plenty of voltage and current....but on the primary side they also put out.... (finish this sentence)![]()
Dayton!![]()
(Blueprint walks in, looks around, takes a seat)![]()
Jay: high voltage on primary too yes, ignition coils are auto-transformers, while flybacks are isolated![]()
Erlend, that is the funny thing. I have tried all types of snubber circuits to prevent the emf kickback on an ignition coil. I found the better the snubber circuit, the more it detracts from the HV output of the ignition coil![]()
To be expected to be honest, I would suggest going for avalanche mosfets![]()
My 555 timer circuit, despite a snubber circuit with cap and resistor, blows through 555 timers and transistors incredibly fast.![]()
They would conduct on overvoltage, without destruction![]()
Or just do NOT run them with a open output![]()
Well then, you just need to mechanically pulse the primary side just like an old distributor. Points and condenser FTW![]()
There in lies the issue. Overvotlage of the primary is inevitable, and HV output is dependent on it. So, when you suppress overvoltage of the primary....the output flat out sucks![]()
Correct. However...where is the fun that?!![]()
Even, I did a driver with a horizontal output transistor from a monitor, it killed the coil![]()
Wow. I've never had a coil fail on me. You must have really powered that beast![]()
That would actually be cool, an electric motor driving an old distributor.![]()
Interesting. Using the distributor as a relay?![]()
Jay: 1200V avalanche motfet if you can find it.. but it's likely to get hot on open output![]()
Ideally, you would want feedback, but that's easier on DC![]()
I'm all for strength of components. It's why I cant stand IC's.![]()
Sort of. Just have the points open and close as the cam rotates.![]()
If you are into figuring out stuff: UC3842 + 100 MOhm resisitors + HV diodes + HV capacitors.. and you can have a regulated DC output![]()
Dayton, you would be proud (read:ashamed) of how I grounded my tesla coil last night![]()
no judgment here![]()
We all do it![]()
Grounding them? you would capacitance to the environment![]()
Like metal mesh on the walls connected to the bottom![]()
Ever tried a puddle of saltwater on your wood floor as a ground? Excellent ground.![]()
Safe? Not one bit.![]()
Sounds more like a Darwin award entry submission![]()
Likely not too unsafe.. high frequency eletricity is way less harmful, but it can burn you![]()
Still, beware![]()
Fact, hand-held radios work better if you ground them to your person![]()
It was a controlled puddle. But, I needed a particular shot for a video i'm producing. Otherwise - i'm usually quite safe. Last night was interesting though.![]()
I've been wanting to build a tesla coil for haloween for years and I never get my ass in gear in time![]()
My uncle used to tell me stories of a tesla coil he built in his youth using automotive ignition hardware he and his friends pulled from junkyard. Simpler times.![]()
Well, looks like I scared J.B. Langston away...![]()
True Dayton, or add an actual counterpoise at the resonant frequency.![]()
Dave, give it a go. You will NOT regret building a TC![]()
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Jay: my HV supply, not got around to finishing it![]()
Start small, so that your risk is minimal.![]()
Absolutely, there are plenty of designs out there to have a crack at.![]()
I have an eastern voltage research kit in my lap right now![]()
Erlend. Is this what love feels like? That supply is just...mmm yes![]()
SSTC 1.0![]()
that supply looks like two monitor flyback transformers?![]()
Jay: positive output flyback + negative output flyback.. should be good for 60 kV.. I am just unsure about the circuit and various design faults![]()
Dave: yes, but not from monitors![]()
from?![]()
CO2 Laser?![]()
They are made for the task![]()
beautiful. I'm currently building a 6 flyback powersource.![]()
I have a metric shit ton of GM LSx ignition coils sitting around. They have built in ignitor modules and can make about a 2.5-3" arc while scrambling anything running on RF in the near vicintiy![]()
Much less exotic than yours, and i'll be submerging it in oil![]()
Note: all TV flybacks have positive outputs, you will likely never see one giving negative output![]()
Dave, 3" arc?!![]()
ok, spark![]()
Still, that's somthing.![]()
if you charge them with ~5ms dwell they will do that![]()
feeding them a 5ms on - 5ms off square wave the "spark" looks like more of an arc because of the frequency![]()
I have 3 ingnition coils sitting around, but as I mentioned earlier, I rarely use them. I'm sick of blowing through IC chips and transistors.![]()
That reminds me, I've got this X-ray tube from the 60's sitting around, the darn thing needs like 150KV and a couple of amps. Need to figure out a power supply for the darn thing![]()
![]()
The GM coils are made by delphi. They're stout.![]()
Oh now you're talking Dayton. Where did you get that?!![]()
^ one of those![]()
Can we all take a moment to appreciate the brass knuckles in the picture?![]()
Medical surplus from a bygone era![]()
rofl![]()
Jay: https://www.vishay.com/docs/90160/an1005.pdf![]()
nerd thug![]()
:) what brass knuckles?![]()
Jay: Only get FET's that can avanalche, otherwise stuff fails and circuits blow up![]()
I deny everything![]()
Nice tube. How's the anode look? I had one removed from service that was all pitted and cracked.![]()
Jay: And make sure they are well cooled, since they would likely get hot when you have no load on the output and all power is dumped in the FET![]()
Erlend, thanks. I will look into this. I'm not too familiar with Avalanche circuits.![]()
Admittedly, i'm a jack of all trades HV, but, actual circuitry i'm still learning![]()
It's just a voltage limiting function, as in they will leak when the voltage gets too high, thus limiting the voltage![]()
beware of vendor avalanche ratings![]()
I got burned hard by this.![]()
Anything particular in mind?![]()
It's entirely possible to fudge datasheet ratings![]()
Yes, with HV, always over-engineer!![]()
Agreed!![]()
Story time: (one moment)![]()
many vendors will neglect to mention what thermal happens when avalanche occurs![]()
high voltage + high current = crazy hot.. yep![]()
so while their devices may technically do the avalanche behavior specified for a very short period of time, the device package can't even come close to dissipating the heat generated![]()
The PowerSO8 and PowerDFN packages are particularly heinous for this.![]()
For those who may not have seen my first message, about a tesla coil in high school: When I ran the tesla coil (360 watts....1.5 foot arcs) in the physics class, people cheered. Then, when I announced that any closed rings in the vicinity will conduct electricity...people didnt get it. Then, I looked to the ladies in the front of the class.......and pointed to my ears while insinuating *your* ears. They were all wearing large loop earrings. I've never seen human beings remove something off their bodies so fast.![]()
that's awesome![]()
lol![]()
@Jay Bowles what style / design was your 360W coil?![]()
aside from earing remover ?![]()
Jay: Or people that are afraid of electricity and doesn't see a problem with a frayed wire? strange![]()
@Erlend Ervik : But I put some tape on it!![]()
It's actually in almost all of my youtube videos, in the background. It's a standard full body tesla coil, multi Spark gap, with safety gap, multi-mini capacitor, and a cone (is that the word?) primary. Secondary is 24 inches tall and 4 inches wide. Topload is toroidal and three times the width of secondary. Secondary wound around ABS pipe (quite lossy)![]()
what's lossy, the abs?![]()
Jay: There are PEX pipes.. totally worthy for you to explore, it's close to the material used in CRT flyback output cables![]()
The ABS has carbon in it, which makes the pipe more conductive than PVC![]()
carbon black?![]()
I thought it had a very low dielectric constant![]()
good intel![]()
PEX pipes. Never heard of those. I have a tesla coil build video coming up soon, maybe i'll incorporate![]()
Hey so do I! (Making a TC video myself)![]()
dumb question ... could you wind your coil around a form, apply epoxy or some kind of glue to the windings and then remove the central core you wound around? You'd only have an air core at that point![]()
No clue about using it for secondary, but it's aparently close to the material used to isolate high voltage underground lines![]()
PEX == cross-linked polyethylene, BTW![]()
Interesting, I'd wondered in the past about that big coil that's behind your shoulder when you're talking into camera.![]()
Its is less about dielectric constant, and more about being an air-cored transformer. Tesla Coils resonate at super high frequencies, and anything ferromagnetic or conductive inside the secondary coil reduces efficiency (for the most part)![]()
Dave, without a form, there would be no rigidity![]()
Dave, great idea. I bet you could. As long as you could guarantee the windings are stiff, and do not bend![]()
That's were the glue comes in, no?![]()
The form is definitely preferred thouhg, like Dayton mentions![]()
Maybe in a vacuum chamber? low enough pressure allows close spacing for HV![]()
True. Could use a lot of epoxy. I'm not too read up on how epoxy effects the output![]()
I'm here for motivation and ideas from the experts.![]()
I am impressed about how tiny gap they use inside CRT's![]()
feel free to ignore me :)![]()
Dave, YOU CAN DO IT! :)![]()
General material info, a lot of black plastic and rubber compounds have carbon black.![]()
Actually, lower pressure ensurages coronal discharge between all the turns. You'd want higher pressure air surrounding just the secondary itself. Topload would need to be outside it. Seems a bit too much work for me.![]()
https://www.easternvoltageresearch.com/solid-state-tesla-coil-1-0-kit/ is what I bought![]()
I need to wind coils for it![]()
Jay: Well, yes.. but even lower pressure and there is no gas left for corona![]()
ooh. solid state![]()
True. I guess you'd need super low pressure.![]()
I figured I'd let someone else do a lot of the thinking for me to start.![]()
I am good with power electronics, just not high voltage stuff firsthand![]()
Haha. Glad you're here Dave.![]()
@Dave Blundell best way to begin. I started with Designs by Steve Ward with my DRSSTC's![]()
I live at automotive "12V"![]()
@Dave Blundell Why must you tempt me to buy more things I don't need? Very unfair, sir.![]()
Ive met Steve Ward.![]()
Dave, building one out of Soviet era surplus and having it explode into a cloud of Cadmium is just part of the fun!![]()
Oh wow! Nice!![]()
Steve Ward and Arc attack really started the solid state coil revolution![]()
inspirational stuff![]()
@Jay Bowles Totally! Ah, halcyon days!![]()
What's the diff with solid state?![]()
diff from what?![]()
Solid state typically modulate square waves, which is fine, but not the way god intended![]()
We use MOSFET's to switch voltage through the Primary, instead of spark gaps.![]()
@Tom Nardi Yeah, the first coil I ever built (before the big one in my videos) was 1) ugly 2) LETHAL 3) almost killed me. So...I decided to actually research proper tesla coil building, and that lead me to the coil I used in High school. After 15 years, still works flawlessly. Over design anything, and it will never fail.![]()
got it, thanks![]()
I have a picture from when I was 16...I was leaning in to take a picture of the sparks, up close...one arc jumped to my hand, and the electricity exited...of all places...my groin. I was leaning against a grounded metal table. Anyways....my hand contracted as I flew back...and I still have a blurry photo somewhere of the exact moment I was sent flying lol![]()
Let's raise funding for Wardenclyffe tower 2 - electric boogaloo![]()
Again: dont learn like Jay did.![]()
I have a healthy respect for high voltage. I got hit by the secondary side of an automotive ignition coil being driven by a fairly meaty capacitive discharge box. I figure it was around 36,000 volts (900V primary / 400:1 turn ratio) and that was plenty for me.![]()
Dayton, I had a video call with the guy planning wardenclyff 2.0! He's really cool.![]()
Jay, everybody learns that way![]()
Into the Plasmaverse Hack Chat
Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range? Just what you see, pal.
Same thing happened to me! Measuring HV is a color TV, got zapped through a screwdriver I was levering up the anode cap with. 37,000 volts through my right hand and exited through my waist - jumped to the grounded outlet strip on the front of the bench.
