 TAPE LOT #2~MAME+HOUSE PARTY+3 SEALED: (JACOB'S LADDER+RAMBO PART II+THE ABYSS) US $9.99 
|
| Powered by phpBay Pro |
Power source for a Jacob's Ladder?
Basically I have all of the necessary 'ingredients' to make a medium sized jacob's ladder. The only thing I'm missing is a power source and I'm a bit confused on what to do. I read a bunch on neon sign transformers but I don't think ill be able to find one. I heard you can make them out of old TV/Computer screen but that its a lot more complex. My friend also told me about this type of flyback transformer that I could use in combination with some resistors and a transistors to create a sort of circuit that would [somehow] get a voltage somewhere between 10-40kv. Considering I have about 40$ to spend, what should I do?
A good option is to use a vehichle ignition coil. You could probably get one for free if you ask a local mechanic or wrecker.
To understand how to power an ignition coil, you need to understand how they work: An ignition coil consists of two windings, much the same as a transformer, and usually with a laminated iron core (but unlike a transformer, this core doesnt form a complete loop, this is required for it to work as you shall see). A DC voltage is applied to the primary winding. The primary acts like an inductor, and magnetic field begins to form. It cannot increase instantly however, and it slowly builds up eventually tapering off to some constant value. The magnetic field is a storage of energy, and it turns out that more energy is stored in the field through the 'air' gap rather than the iron part of the core. Once the field has reached nearly its maximum value, the DC voltage is removed from the primary and replaced by an open circuit. The magnetic field cannot change instantly, but it is proportional to current. The current in the primary windg cant exist any more (because it is a short circuit), so the voltage across both the secondary and the primary quickly increases. The secondary is made with many many more turns than the primary, so its voltage increases much faster. If there is a short gap between the terminals of the secondary, this voltage willcause a spark to jump, which acts like a conductor allowing current to flow in the secondary. As the magnetic field collapses, it forces current through the secondary, and through the spark, until all the stored energy is used up, then the spark goes out, and we start again. If there was not a small gap between the ouptut terminals, the voltage across both the secondary and the primary would continue to rise until something blows up!
So We need to drive the primary with a square wave. The frequency can be any thing between about 5 and 1000hz, nd you can get all sorts of effects by varying it. You can also change the duty cycle (on time) of the square wave, which of course changes the energy in each hv pulse, it can be really fun to experiment!
I can email you a simple circuit for driving an ignition coil, it only requires cheap easy to get parts, and is easy to build and get going, runs from 12 volts and give great results.
Items Recently Purchased From This Site:
| Powered by phpBay Pro |
