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jaxbrokenheart wrote:

You could put it back in the fluorescent fixture like that and convince someone to change it.

wouldn't work.. it would be grounded.

Kirk wrote:

That's pushing the limit of safety.  I wouldn't take it that far.  I limited myself to scuffing socks across a carpeted floor on a low humidity day and touching my brother's nose while he was sleeping or my cat's whiskers.

you still build up over 10KV before you see/feel visible sparks from static electricity (negative or positive ions.)

Last edited by Freezer mac (2005-04-10 11:22 pm)

Uh lets not go there, someone is bound to mess this up and end up in a hurt locker.

Steyr AUG wrote:

Uh lets not go there, someone is bound to mess this up and end up in a hurt locker.

wtf is a hurt locker?


anyway. i'd better put a disclaimer up... by reading this thread you herby accept all responsibilities for anything you do based on what you read here.
basically: if you injure yourself, its your own damn fault. if you injure someone else, its still your fault. as far as i know everything i  am posting in this thread is completely legal where i am located. if it is illegal where you are located, then don't do it.

Another Darwin thread. :\

...and then Fried Chicken enters the room....

Here's a good reference for static electricity.  Note the safety cautions.
http://www.amasci.com/emotor/statelec.html

I've never tried that.  It sounds like it'd explode.  The explosion would be caused by heating the gases inside the bulb.

To answer your question, no.  Misuse of a Van deGraff generator might cause electrocution. The trick is keeping the current flow low enough.  That requires careful attention to anything that might act as a capacitor and allow building up enough charge to result in significant current during discharge.  This is rather difficult to 'eyeball' so I suggest not going there.  See those safety precautions I mentioned earlier.

pixplzthx!!

No. Stop.  Make a video instead.

Fried Chicken wrote:

Ok, now I have only a very vague idea of what an ion generator is, and I'm not sure how I would make anything with it, but I will experiment definetely.

Now, I came across this, and I'm wondering if this is what I am looking for for something cheap/inexpensive.

You said you got yours for 12 dollars, post pics, so I have an idea as to what you are doing and stuff, right now I only have an idea as to what you are doing from what you tell me.

thats what i'm using.. but i wouldn't recommend ebay... electronic goldmine is a better source (i used them for my senior physics project in high school.. built a working rail gun that shot nails or washers about 20 feet...i shocked myself good with that project)

edit: yes there is a warning, but i tend to disregard those for the most part... if i didn't, i would never have learned anything.. when you learn by taking things apart and putting them back together, you expose yourself to dangers.

tips for not permanently injuring yourself:
1. don't be stupid, and do research on what you are going to do before you do it.
2. don't give up when you shock yourself. it will happen eventually.
3. always respect line level voltage, and be sure you cannot touch it if you shock yourself on an internal component.
4. electrical tape is your friend. (DO NOT USE DUCT TAPE OR ANYTHING THAT IS NOT MEANT FOR ELECTRICAL USE!!!!)
5. keep a voltmeter handy and when working with high voltage, determine the amps, not the volts first! (most likely you wont be able to determine the volts if it is more than 1KV)
6. do not ground yourself until you determine that you will not be negatively affected by the extra discharge.. i find charging something else up first, then turning off the emitter and then grounding myself while touching the object is the best method for this. also, grounded wrist straps will limit the current to your hand, but they may increase the potential for you to make your hand go numb. (and always start on a non grounded surface)

Last edited by Freezer mac (2005-04-12 11:48 pm)

So, the electricity comes out of the 4 needles, and which ones are positive and which ones negative, and don't they discharge onto themselves, or are they all negative, in which case, where are the positives?

And, if you hold onto them, while charging, will it charge you?

And, if you get a full blown zap through something metal, will it hurt?

I need to get one of these!!!

I built a Kirlian photo system in HS. It used a TV flyback transformer accelerated by two large power supply transistors in a push-pull arrangement. What helped make it safe was that it was powered by a  lantern battery - limited amperage. I guess you could have hurt yourself if you tried hard enough...

Those aura images were really cool.