120,000 Volt Van De Graaff Generator

Step 6 Gross assembly

The column is mounted to the bucket with the closet flange. The power roller is mounted inside the bucket and the mounting manipulated to make roller perpendicular to the column. The belt is slipped on BEFORE adjusting the roller. The belt is then pulled through the column with a scrap of wire and the top roller installed using small bolts threaded into the PVC with nuts on the inside, as axles.

At this point apply a few volts to the motor and check to see the belt runs true, if it runs to one end, the end of that roller needs to be moved OUT, where out is away from the middle of the machine.

Comments

[hcarmona]

how well does it work compared to the teflon and nylon rollers?

[sikick111]

How important is the aluminum foil to the overall outcome?

[Tool Using Animal]

The two rollers need to be from opposite ends of the electrostatic series, or the top roller needs to be conductive. So since I used pvc for both rollers, the aluminum was an easy way to make a conductive roller.