Step 5: Test it out!
Refer to the Monitor Hack Instructable for instructions on how to connect the aluminum wire to the anode. Be sure to pay attention to the part where you carefully discharge the high voltage!
The ground wire needs to go to ground, of course. The easiest place to attach the ground wire to is the inside of the monitor at the same place the high voltage was discharged to.
Turn it on and test it out!
If everything is nice and tight, there should be a great lightning show around all sides of the globe.
If it's arcing to the stem, you'll need to turn it off and trim the screen on the bottom some more.
Watch the video to see it in action:
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....I wish more credit would be given to Tesla, just look at the things around us that we take for granted: AC power, High Voltage coils (what gives car engines spark to run), Radio (Marconi used Tesla's ideas).....the list goes on and on.....Nikola Tesla, Man Ahead of His Time.
tesla invented the lightboub
I'm a Canadian, so I should know this.
In 1875, Edison purchased half of a Toronto medical electrician's patent to further his own research. That researcher was named James Woodward.
So it was us! The Canadians that made the lightbulb.Woodward and a colleague by the name of Matthew Evans, described in the patent as "Gentleman" but in reality a hotel keeper, filed a patent for the Woodward and Evan's Light on July 24, 1874.
Working at the Morrison's Brass Foundry on Adelaide St. West in Toronto, they built the first lamp with a shaped rod of carbon held between electrodes in an glass bulb filled with nitrogen.
Woodward and Evans were treated as cranks and subject to much public ridicule. "Who needs a glowing piece of metal!!" They attempted, with very little success, to form a company to raise money to refine and market their invention. (Where is the federal government when you really need them?)
In 1876, Woodward obtained a U.S. patent on his electric lamp and, in 1879, Edison considered it sufficiently important to completely buy out the patent from Woodward, Evans, and all their Canadian partners. Woodward sold a share of his Canadian patent to Thomas Edison in 1885.
Thus the electric light bulb became American.
I don't know where you guys are coming from, but this is the TRUE story. I even put a story in the Newspaper about it.
--ZaderMan
but still edison perfected the carbon filament that had never been invented before! Thats what (along with a vaccum creates a light)
I do not need to be historically Correct to construct one just understand the why behind the construction. lab work does NOT = Book smarts and Book smarts does NOT = actual getting hands dirty lab work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Swan
Steve
Im 14 and make all sort of dangerous things like thermite but ever since ive been burned I have never been reckless with that stuff again! Experiences teach you not safety.
"Whatever dosent kill you just makes you stronger"
its sad, in England children are no longer allowe to play conkers without goggles, and skipping is banned, labled as a tripping hazzerd.
have you touched a hot stove? how do you know what a hot stove is untill you have burnt yourself? children learn by triel and error!
hats off to you ClueNeeded for putting is straight
But I Disagree with your views about my own safety. I can assure you that I did not dash into High voltage with no other Knowledge on safety other than dont touch it! I Did a large amount of research on each HV and nonHV projects and I can Garentee that "Dumb Luck" Played a role in neiether my safety nor my safety in the future. In fact the only role dumb luck played, was probably when I happened to come across a old Microwave in my relitives car, waaaaaayy back in England (but thats a different story :P)
I respect your Opinion But I also respectfully disagree.
Thanks,
Mike
I'm being serious.
As a student of 14 I have an active interest in all things sciency / techy etc.
I involve myself in extra curricular activities, spend my spare time on things and pay attention at school. All of which my peers do not. The state of some peoples common sense is appalling, I won't go into that.
I could go on a massive rant here but I have to to stop myself.
Oh dear...
"knowledge is the key to success" and all that.
I notice the education system "cotton wooling" us e.g.
Me: Wow *teacher* that is an amazing concept, can we explore it further.
Teacher: No we must stick to gov't boundaries and minimum requirements, the school has to be "outstanding" in its results of a-c pass grades and babble balle hodsl;ajgg.
I often wish to spend a physics lesson, chem, maths, whatever just going off on a tangent (or cosine), and exploring more engaging issues.
STOP
ZZZZ
indeed!
It's only dangerous and irresponsible if you actually make the project without heading the warnings.
You have more of a chance of being killed driving or riding in a car. In 2008 alone, 37,261 people died in automobile accidents. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/8_CO/2008/8_CO_2008.htm
I don't know of a single person that was killed or even injured by making this Instructable.
Of course, most people (especially kids) don't need the help of an Instructable to do something stupid that puts their life in danger. Ghost Riding, Car Surfing, Drunk Driving, getting in the car with a drunk driver, Ecstasy, Red Bull and Vodka, etc, etc, etc..
The world is full of danger. Life would be pointless and boring if it wasn't.
IME, the poster has only some responsibility. They cannot be responsible for the actions of their readers, however they must ensure that they do give warnings about the possible dangers of doing such a thing. The reader, or the parent or guardian of the reader must be the ones that take responsibility for the actions of the reader.
In the case of the latter (parents or guardians needing to take responsibility for a child readers actions) There are enough ways out there to be involved in your kids lives and guide them online. I have been in IT for more than 10 years, and have numerous friends and family that have needed my help in this area. Some of the best ways:
1. No computer in the kid's rooms (put it in a family area, or a shared office)
2. Combine that with Internet Filtering software (netnanny and the like), with a decent family policy of allowing the kids to come to talk to you about something that is blocked that they would like to see. IMO, this filtering software shouldn't be used to strictly prevent kids from seeing stuff, but just as a tool to ensure that parental guidance is there when it needs to be.
3. Stay actively involved in all parts of your kids lives.
4. Ensure there are "consequences" for their actions, before they hit the serious ones (like death or dismemberment).
I have a niece and nephew and cannot wait until they are old enough to help me build potentially dangerous stuff (probably not this, but that is because of my own inexperience with HV), like bottle rockets, thermite, potato cannons, tennis ball mortars, petards, chemistry experiments, other electronics, r/c stuff (ever lose control of plane heading toward you?), etc. In fact I know that their father will likely be right in there with me (and their grandfather definitely will be).
-munky
Now if the author posted video saying "try this, it is 100% safe, look at me I am awesome, you need to do this or you will be a loser" or whatever, then that would be showboating or showing off, but I see no evidence of this in this i'ble.
- munky