From nussbaum@silly.comSun Jan 21 11:30:47 1996 Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 20:45:41 -0500 (EST) From: Ephraim Nussbaum To: billbeskimo.com Cc: Multiple recipients of list USA-TESLA Subject: Re: Lightning Jar This message was posted on the tesla list some time back? Do you by any chance know the ratios and exactly what goes into making one?...Benzion On Thu, 16 Nov 1995, Jon Paisley wrote: > Hi all, > > When I was at the Tesla Museum in Colorado Springs last December I saw a > demonstration of a lightning jar. My friends and I have made several attempts > at reproducing the quality of the one I saw without success. I have been using > a 15000v 30ma neon sign transformer but also have a 15-60 that I use when > necessary. > > I feel the problem with the project is my ratios of ingredients. > If I remember correctly, the jar is filled with water, NaCl, and Iron Oxide. > I video taped the demonstration so I know the preparation (wiping off the lip of > the jar, etc.) > > If anyone knows a good mixture of how much NaCl, and how much iron > oxide to use, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, it was quite odd then > when the brown colored rust (made from steel wool) was thrown in, it changed > color to grey?? Is pure iron necessary to achive the brown color I remember at > the museum? > > If anyone is not fimiliar with this experiment, let me just say that it is > really impressive. The setup is a jar (like an industrial sized pickle or > cherry jar) sitting in a metal pan. One electrode of the transformer connected > to the pan and one to a conductive (they used copper tubing) rod placed in the > jar. Both the pan and jar are filled with the solution (whos ratios i'm not > sure about). The jar is topped of until it overflows into the pan and the lip > of the jar is wiped dry. That's it...turn on the juice and after about 30 > seconds of typical gapping around the lip of the jar, the system quiets out and > beautiful lighting bolts spread out across the sides of the jar and the effect > goes on for a few minutes. The way the bolts fork, it looks like a real thunder > storm...not like the brush discharge you get from smaller tesla coils. > > If anyone knows the best mix of ingredients, please let me know. I'd like a > display I can show to my friends that are too skiddish about being in the room > with with airborn lightning. (although i don't know why...that's where the real > fun begins...) > > Thanks in advance, > Jon Paisley > > ----"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein ------- > Jon Paisley Electronics Design Division > JPAISLEY@FORD.COM Product Engineering Office > (313) 594-0122 Ford Motor Company, Dearborn MI > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- >