Leyden jar of DOOM!

Step 10 Put on the lid, opperation

Now simply drill a hole in the center of the lid and put it on the bucket.

Secure the door knob to the tip of the post and its done.

I will be looking for a better ball for it and will post the changes later.

Now that you have built it simply connect the doorknob to a VDG and charge up!

For a big spark connect another door knob to a pole that is connected to the outside of the leyden jar.

It will be the negative side and the center post the positive.

To discharge it without hurting your self, make a set of discharge tongs from the old bucket handle and put them on the end of a fiberglass pole. Then short out the outside of the bucket to the center node. Yes a large spark will occur.Touch the outside of the bucket first so as to not burn holes in the aluminum.

I will add a video when I get my test stand done.

Thanks for looking and please be safe.
Zachary M.

Comments

[xeon_hl2]

i've dealed with high voltages, but this
i'll better stay away from build somthing like this.
maybe i make a small one

[fd93]

just one thing DON'T USE A WOODEN HANDLE wood can conduct electricity use somthing like fibre glass or put the discharge pole onto an RC car

[megamarine]

I don't think that's right. I'm pretty sure wood is an insulator, although if theres enough moisture and impurities it can conduct very well.

[aqwiz]

actually if there is a vein of sap that has been dried the right way it can conduct electricity too, especially if carbon/soot lands on it (which is also conductive) wood is a very heterogeneous substance, not good to mix unknowns with high voltage

[sparksnflames]

 wood does indeed conduct electricity -  in these pictures you see a plain chunk of 2X4 with a grounded screw embedded in one side. there is a hole in the block (near the center of the fractal burn) that has had a high voltage probe embedded in it. when charged, the electricity burns patterns into the wood that resemble fractals.
the power source for this experiment was a NST, connected to a Cockroft Walton voltage multiplier, to ramp up the volts to 120KVDC - then run through 3- 1 gallon SWC caps, with neg being connected to ground and the screw shown coming out of the side of the block- pos is connected to a probe with a 2 foot pvc handle and ceramic baffles (to allow me to move it when it is on.)
it looked really cool while it was burning, but no actual flame was present- more like a orange plasma- it also burns from the inside of the block out- very interesting phenomena.

[sparksnflames]

hmm- pictures didn't show up

[nickademuss]

I have converted an old go cart flag holder into a discharge wand. Thanks for the safety tip!

[Spedy]

Although wood will conduct, there isn't much danger as long as you contact the outside foil layer before approaching the center electrode. If you touched the middle part without a good contact to the outside foil, the electrical discharge might go through the handle and YOU to ground, instead of through the proper path...

[fd93]

a good point but better safe than electrocuted also if the pole is damp or has been in a humid room(like a basement) then it might still travel up the pole and give you a nasty shock

[nickademuss]

I like life without electrocution....

[beehard44]

which isn't possible

[chriskarr]

But...electrocution is fun...unless you actually die.

[poikilotherm]

I probably would have to disagree with that, except for very small voltages (like rubbing your feet on a carpet and touching a doorknob). :D

[Laminarin]

Have you measured the capacitance with a multi-tester? I'm not sure if it's possible to test with lower voltages with such a thick dielectric (plastic bucket) butI'd be interested to find out.

[stanley Knepper]

I hate to seem stupid but what is a VDG. It sounds like a social disease.

[nickademuss]

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