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  • High Voltage Experiments » High Voltage - DC - High Current
  • Conductive ink as a fuse

     

    Equipment

    Diagram

    Conductive Ink Fuse

    Method

    Create your fuses by drawing a fuse shape onto a piece of card (I used an inkjet printer) then using the Conductive Ink pen, draw a fuse wire through the middle.

    Img_20140426_1412

    Connect as in Diagram above.

    Use EXTREME CAUTION, the charge in the capacitor is LETHAL. After each run turn off the supply and short out the capacitor before touching any part of the circuit. Ensure all connections will not come loose during the run.

    I used a car ignition coil and a 50KV string of diodes to charge my cap.

    Let the HV supply charge up the capacitor and the spark gap will fire, dumping the stored charge from the cap into the “fuse”. Warning, it can be VERY loud and VERY Bright.

    If for any reason the spark gap doesn’t fire, use the chicken stick to short out the cap and make the gap smaller.Img_20140426_1411

     Results

    Img_20140426_1407fuseonly  Img_20140426_1404

    The resultant arc is VERY bright, the photos above were taken at F29 on the slowest setting on my camera (well under ISO 50) and they are still white out.

    The best thing is that the “fuse” can be blown many times, the discharge doesn’t take off all of the Ink and will keep going (total surprise)

    Maybe I need a bigger Cap ?

    After a suggestion to use welding goggle glass as a filter, a couple of better fuse photos

    Still very bright, Camera was at F29 and on its slowest ISO setting (~iso50)

    Img20140501_11736_01 Img20140501_11737_01


  • Lichtenberg figures – Wood

    Equipment

    High voltage AC supply (NST)
    Two self tapping Screws
    Piece of wood (MDF is good)
    Cloth and a bowl of water

     

    Diagram

    lichtenburg-wood

    Method

    Screw in the two screws around 100mm apart. Using the water and cloth dampen the wood between the screws. Attach the HV power supply to the screws. Turn on the power a Lichtenberg figure will slowly be burnt into the wood. If the burning stops, remove the power and re-dampen the wood.

    Results


  • Lichtenberg figures – Water

    Equipment

    DC HV Generator
    0.05uF Cap @20KV
    Two Shallow Dishes
    Adhesive Aluminium Tape
    Insulated wires
    Water

    Diagram

    hvexperiments.

    Method

    Connect the HV supply to the capacitor. Attach a piece of foil to each of the plates so the foil extends down to the bottom of the dish on the top and attached to a wire on the outside.. Arrange the plates so there is a 10mm gap between them and the foil furthest away from the gap. Fill the plates until the water is level with the edge of the plates. Tilting the plates slightly may help to get the water evenly along the gap edge.

    Connect the two wires from each of the plates to each terminal of the capacitor.

    Charge up the capacitor until the gap between the plates breaks down giving a display across the surface of the water on both plates.

     Setup

    Img20130430_8689

     

    Results

    Img20130502_8983 Img20130430_8714 Img20130502_8949 Img20130430_8848

    Img20130430_8656