Make your own Lightning Globe!

Step 5: Test it out!

Now it's time to hook it up and 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:

Comments

[nerd7473]

this is a good project

[ctrlx]

For the most part Edison was a businessman, he would employ people and call their inventions "his" because they worked for him. He tried to do the same to Tesla, but Tesla told him to "Stuff it" and Tesla went off on his own......Edison did NOT invent the light bulb! Please have a look at: http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/edison.asp
....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.

[lis.tesla]

i , as well, admire Tesla and his inventions and do recognize all his many woks in fact every science project in school had to do something with Tesla or one of his genius ideas thanx

[Lil6lil]

help!!!!! do you actually need a pc moniter for this to work or is there something else that will work??

[speakerman9]

Try a neon ballast. The voltage is lower (15KVDC), but, in a smaller bulb, it should give you the desired result.

[Quantinuim]

You can use any kind of screen that is based the cathode ray

[Derin]

look u can also connect it to the filament and super bright lightbulb!

[Derin]

im takin that back super quick explosive

[daemonfist]

I am guessing it was super bright for a few milliseconds...hopefully you weren't hurt...

[Nickola Tesla 101]

If you want some really nice sparks you should switch your power supply with a neon transformer.

[rocketman221]

A neon transformer will burn a hole through the glass in 10 to 15 seconds. I used a 12KV 60mA transformer.

[Mudbud]

that would be cool. I wonder does the voltage have to be 30,000V? p.s Tesla made the lightbulb 20 years before the factories "invented" them. GO TESLA!!!!!!

[history323]

umm hate to burst your buble but Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb.

[ctrlx]

Proud to say, he did NOT invent the light bulb...do a little research and you will find that the light bulb was patented 50+ years before Edison patented his "IMPROVED" light bulb design......not invented, just improved and existing design......For the most part Edison was a shrewd businessman and had people working from him that did a lot of the inventing.....

[lis.tesla]

bubble hasn't been busted yet. gimme proof that he invented it before tesla

[Rhamkota]

Actually Humphry Davy invented the light bulb. Also to the rest of you Nickola Tesla had really nothing to do with the light bulb.

[ctrlx]

Well yes, Tesla had something to do with the light bulb, when he lit up the Pan American Exposition of 1901, he did not want to use the Edison based light bulb (screw in base) do he came up with his own design, pin style connectors......Edison was pissed....

[Rhamkota]

Yes, I know that, but that had nothing to do with the evolution of the lightbulb.

[Eddiepers]

ummm hate to burst yours but edison perfected the art of making the lightbulb

tesla invented the lightboub

[speakerman9]

And Edison had one heck of a time doing it. He wanted the bulb to be DC run, which put far too much stress on the fillament. And, the bulbs were no brighter or safer than candles at the time.

[history323]

dude no Im fairly positive he invented the lightbulb- yes he "perfected" it but those perfections were what made it work. Ive got nothing against tesla he kicks edisons butt but edison invented the lightbulb.

[ZaderMan]

You are both WRONG.
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.
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.

So it was us! The Canadians that made the lightbulb.
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

[mikeb270]

Then you sir are guilty of spreading propaganda!

[history323]

haha yeah
but still edison perfected the carbon filament that had never been invented before! Thats what (along with a vaccum creates a light)

[ZaderMan]

It's not Propaganda! Look it all up! All of the history behind the light bulb. I know this. I did research on it for weeks.

[mikeb270]

ahhh lol,  I would not concern myself with the light bulb for weeks but if its your pleasure so be it....... YAWN....zzzzzzz...night - nite!

[ZaderMan]

May I ask, how much do you know about the lightbulb? Seeing as you haven't even said anything about it yet...

[mikeb270]

frankly to be honest and I do not want to start a fight but does it really matter what country invented what give me a break.

[mikeb270]

history is that!!!,
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.

[steveastrouk]

Edison also tried to enforce his patents against the English man, Joseph Swan, and was so unsuccessful, he had to form a joint company with Swan to market in the UK..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Swan

Steve

[hellstudios]

I just bought a mini one for $6.... well I bought a neon light for my computer but it came smashed in the mail...so I got to playing around with the transformer, and got a good 1 inch constant spark. and this ible gives me ideas for a mini lightning bulb.

[gosub]

In my humble opinion and 2 cents worth experience. it does not worth the work it involved. Plus it is tricky, dangerous for youngster and certainly the bulb would not survive falling from a table. So i am surprised to see such a reckless built not moderated.

[kirbyswarpstar]

"WARNING Just like my Monitor Hack instructable, this makes use of some very high voltage. It could be potentially lethal, especially if you are standing in a puddle of water." forget to read that at the start of the instructable

[ClueNeeded]

gosub, your attitude makes me sad. You seem to wish for a world of perfect safety and one in which no active parenting is required. My parents bought me chemistry sets when I was small. The 'real' kind you can't buy anymore; with glassware, actual (and potentially dangerous) chemicals, and experiments intended to achieve worthwhile results. The authors of the various devices on this website have always, as far as I can tell, explain the possible dangers. That is all that is required. A parent or parents that do not keep involved in their kids activities are responsible for any mishaps. This is something you don't understand, I know, so that is why I mention it. Enforcing or encouraging ignorance, as you propose, is not a good alternative. Dumbing-down people (& kids) makes for more not less accidents. That is, what you don't know or understand WILL hurt you. Involving oneself in the education of youngsters IS moderating the activity; not banning the activity and the knowledge there by gained. Perhaps encapsulating our children in shatterproof, opaque containers is what you think to be the best approach. The results might keep them safe, but at the cost of making them useless members of society

[history323]

Dude I totally agree with you im sick and ttired of all this protect everyone from all harm crap. I mean it's your own body! I think that things should be kept in hand - just enough so people don't kill themselves
 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"

[muttyfutty]

Speaking as a 14 year old I have to totally agree with you! I currently own a MOT, NST , 8 or 9 flybacks use the soldering Iron, fiddle with power supplys and HV caps. and never got electricuted (apart from the bug zapper) and I have to say it did me alot of good, how will children even wire a plug if you contiue to smother us in a cotten wool sociaty?
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

[static]

 My young hardware hacking friend, you are dangerously confusing legitimate safety warnings with frivolous regulations. In that you where able to make your comment you have never been electrocuted. There's a difference in receiving a non-lethal electrical chock and being electrocuted, something called death. electrical equipment and High Voltage can be worked around safely. I have no way of knowing what role dumb luck has played in your safety to date, but please don't let your first real lesson be your last. In the event you haven't receive instruction or read how to work safely around electricity seek out that information.  The US Navy's Naval Electrical Engineering Training Series is about as good as it gets for written material and is free off the web Google neets. Children and adults learn by instruction first, only the stubborn or dimwitted learn by trial and error after receiving instruction. 

[muttyfutty]

Yes, You are totally correct about electrocution, I happened to notice the error too late and had no way of changing it...
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

[UbuntuNinja]

I am 14 as well and own 3 flybacks though I will probably accumulate more as I move away from conventional electronics and more into HV stuff.  I was screwing with a camera flash board the other day and it zapped me across the chest (fortunately nothing bad happened) and since then I have been much more cautious with HV stuff.

[zoltzerino]

Words of absolute wisdom.

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