Be a Scientist: Bottle Electricity.

Step 6 Extend it.

To hold more charge, you need more surface area of foil. The only way to increase this is to use a larger container.

Try glass jars with plastic lids, or plastic food boxes (the ever-popular "Tupperware" is good). Maybe even try a plastic bucket!

BUT BEWARE!

The film-cannister-sized jar is a toy. It hardly carries any charge at all, and a shock would just give you a surprise. Larger jars carry larger charges, enough to cause injuries either indirectly (you twitch and smash your arm on the bench) or directly (why do you think they shout "Clear!" on medical dramas?).

Comments

[Electorials]

nice tutorial!
it works perfectly ;)

Thanks!

[Kiteman]

Thank you!

[AlphaRomeo]

would it be better to use some rubber gloves or stand on some wooden platform to save oneself getting hurt?

[Kiteman]

Not with this little thing - you hardly get a kick off it - but, with a big one, rubber gloves wouldn't hurt.

[AlphaRomeo]

I have been checking various high voltage instructables - can someone add safely measures that one should take - of if those are already explained - can we have the link please

[droyce4596]

the biggest safety measure in my opinion would be don't let both of your hands touch a conductive material at the same time just in-case it has a charge in it. Because the most dangerous shock is from hand to hand because it goes across your heart which could potentially stop your heart.

[Kiteman]

With this particular leyden jar, no special measures are required.

[joelr97]

so this is not dangerous

[joelr97]

tyvm

[Kiteman]

This one isn't, but big ones can hurt and kill.

[lobo_pal]

All that really matters as far as danger is amplitude, so how many amps can you charge a capacitor of this type with.

[Kiteman]

Very, very few. I haven't measured it, but it is safe for even small children to handle. ("Amps" is not the same as "amplitude")

[zoltzerino]

Isn't it "ampere"? ZZZZ

[Kiteman]

Indeed it is.

[zoltzerino]

YAY! ZZZZ

[lobo_pal]

Been a while since I studied that.

[nutsandbolts_64]

Wonder if you u can produce a higher voltage with safe amounts of amperes (curious if i can make a stun gun out of it)

[kijac gang]

can this be used as a battery and how many volts can come out of it???

[Kiteman]

No, it can't be used as a battery, and it gives out the same volts you put in (but the current will be tiny).