Big fat arcs from an unballasted Microwave Oven Transformer

[kerryhall]

Can you do a tutorial on your web site about how to connect MOTs in series and properly ballast for a jacob's ladder? I was thinking 6x2.5 kV MOTs drawing .2 amps would be a feasible yet impressive project.

[TeravoltOrg]

@kerryhall

You can't series MOTs because their insulation cannot withstand more than 3kV. What you can do is take two, connect their cores together and then put their primaries in // (one phased opposite). This will make a 4kV center tapped transformer. Still a bit low for a jacobs ladder though

[kerryhall]

@TeravoltOrg

But the insulation from one transformer wouldn't have more than 2.5 kV across it though, right?

[Serostern]

@TeravoltOrg I call bullshit and reference my hexamotstack as evidence.

[NeoMorpho]

yo hise uno de esos tambien con un transformador de microondas, pero yo le puse unas antenitas para el arco

[a380rockerfan]

Sorry, forgot to mention, how quickly does it heat up?

[a380rockerfan]

Amazing vid! Did you tap out the shunts in the MOT?

[davidmasson93]

Just sayin, for any idiot that wants to try doing that, you may get killed. Also, running unballasted can break breakers and whatnot. Proper gear is vital. Anyway, awesome video Teravolt. I have done this myself before, and it is still pretty cool even ballasted.

[MINIMI95020]

i wish cameras picked that better :(

[TeravoltOrg]

@MINIMI95020 It's just really, really bright.

[KyleCarrington]

What exactly is that flame?!?! Is that fire accompanying the arc, or is that ALL plasma? That is cool as F$#!

[TeravoltOrg]

@KyleCarrington It's all plasma,

[LeMieux250]

@TeravoltOrg Unless that was a completely inert invironment (i.e. pure argon or c02 or something) there is some flame. Thats partially why welders use argon as a shielding gas. Regardless, that was awesome, and i might just have to try that. Thumbs up :)

[TeravoltOrg]

@LeMieux250

There's no flame as there is nothing organic being burned. A flame consists of glowing carbon particles, and that's just pure plasma in this arc.

[reportingsjr]

@TeravoltOrg A flame is not just glowing carbon particles. A flame is actually plasma and is produced from the oxidation of anything. This can be oxidation of carbon like you said, nitrogen, hydrogen, any organic material, etc. Literally anything and everything so long as it can react with oxygen.