Introduction: Electric Pickle Lamp
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About: Married to Domestic_Engineer (but I call her Meghan).
Plug a pickle into a 120V AC outlet and watch in glow.
Materials:
The sodium in the pickle burns yellow. Yellow street lights are sodium-vapor lamps.
Video 1:
Video 2
Materials:
- Pickle
- AC power cord
- Thick copper wire
- Cut and strip the power cord. Wrap together the neutral and ground wires. Cut the live wire about 6 inches shorter than the neutral/ground. This will reduce accidental shorts.
- Cut 2 pieces of thick copper wire, about 3 inches long I used a piece pulled from a household electrical wire (the kind that go in the wall)
- Stick the wires in the pickle
- Connect the AC power cord to the copper wires. I've used a cheap set of jumper cables between the power cord and the pickle.
- Plug the the power cord into an electrical outlet.
- Wait for the pickle to glow. It took about 10 seconds to get going.
- Unplug everything.
- Be careful -- safety eighth!
The sodium in the pickle burns yellow. Yellow street lights are sodium-vapor lamps.
Video 1:
Video 2
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22 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
This is a really cool project. On an unrelated note, I just thought of an awesome band name.
Reply 3 years ago
What was it?
10 years ago on Introduction
It will work on 110V? I thought it needed more than that.
Reply 5 years ago
HEY
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Yup - This is from a regular 110V household outlet (North America) - on a 15amp fuse.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
On 240 volts??
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
It might blow up with 240. Safety glasses, yo.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Its ok if you get your pickles from the UK :)
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I don't see why not -- careful though. My only 240V circuit is behind the dryer. Did not work with a 12V car battery.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Cool...
5 years ago
I am doing it for my science fair project. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
5 years ago
Works fine on 240v, 50cyc. in New Zealand.
7 years ago
Does it work on a cucumber or a tomato?
10 years ago on Introduction
nice lamp.
I wouldn't eat it. There's likely to be metal from the wires /nails dissolved in it, and possibly even a bit of metalic sodium (toxic)
One of those chem ironies that sodium ions in salt is a necessity for life, but metallic sodium is toxic. I don't really know if the current will separate sodium.
10 years ago on Introduction
Is said pickle still edible after the experiment?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Sure - but it is a little cooked.
10 years ago on Introduction
We do this all the time in physics, because we can.
10 years ago on Introduction
Wow!!! Itz cool!!!!
Nice work!!!!!!
10 years ago on Introduction
Shocking!
10 years ago on Introduction
You can cook a hot dog that way too.