Re: PM Tubes (fwd)

["High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2007 13:54:29 -0800
From: Jonathan Peakall <jpeakall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: PM Tubes (fwd)

OK, my first post was a little spotty.

My best one was made from two white 5 gallon buckets. They were insulated 
from the floor by resting on top of 5 inverted styrofoam cups. The buckets 
were place ~ 18 - 24 inches apart. I took a length of brass round stock, 
say 7/32", and made a loop (not closed) about 1.5 inches in diameter. The 
rods are placed in the buckets so that they cross each other, sperated by 
1/8" to 3/4". This is the spark gap.Bend the ends of the brass rod so that 
water can drip through them.

\   / << loops
  /\  << Gap
 /   \
|_| |_|

I used tap water with a small needle valve to reduce flow. The flow was 
sivided into two tubes, and the end of each tube had an eyedropper on the 
end. I used a halogen work light type stand to suspend the tubes over the 
loops.

Touchy to get going, but extremely cool.

Jonathan
www.madlabs.info
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Some people are like a Slinky .. not really good for anything,
but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs.
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "hvlist" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 25, 2007 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: PM Tubes (fwd)


> Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2007 06:21:17 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
> From: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: PM Tubes (fwd)
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>Sent: Dec 24, 2007 7:26 PM
>>To: hvlist <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>Subject: Re: PM Tubes (fwd)
>>
>>Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>
>>
>>
>>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:44:21 -0800
>>From: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>Subject: Re: PM Tubes (fwd)
>>
>>Gordon:
>>
>>    What was the original question - I've lost track.  Looks as if you
>>are all set to go if you have a suitable HV supply.
>>
>>    While I'm writing I'll ask a general question which I think I've
>>raised before.  Has anyone on the list built a Kelvin water dropper and
>>if so what were the results?
>>
>
> I've built (or tried to build) three or four.
>
> Let's see...
> One was made with wire and tin cans.  Didn't work for beans.  I think 
> leakage through the supports (PVC pipe) was the problem.
>
> One was made with just AWG 14 solid wire and styrofoam for supporta. 
> Worked great.
>
> One was made with shower heads and big buckets.  Didn't work
>
> A friend made one with small metal trash cans (like you'd have in a 
> bathroom) and styrofoam and it worked (but was a mess, after it charged).
>
> Observations:
> 1) easy in theory, but there is some magic in the recipe
> 2) water management is a challenge.  I'd love to figure out how to build a 
> continuously operating one, but so far, all the ones that work the best 
> are driven from the tap water faucet and drain all over the floor.
>
> However, it is about 10% RH here today, and one of the presents came 
> packed with a big 2x4 sheet of styrofoam, so maybe I'll put the kids to 
> work on this experiment after present opening?  "But Dad??? why do we have 
> to do science experiments?"
>
> Jim
>