Jacobs Ladders

Playing with a Jacob's Ladder and sharing the basics of how it works.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• The Geek Group
• Chris Boden
• Jacobs
• Ladder
• Jacob's
• High Voltage
• Rails
• Science
• Engineering
• Lab
• Project

[LAZASAS]

Are you serious, you made something like that when you were 12 years old. Probably had access to all the hardware needed to build a Jacobs Ladder.

[thegeekgroup]

It's not that difficult to do. A old furnace transformer and a coat hangar and you're set.

[l0lidude]

I wish i coul'd understand half of what they are saying :(

[thegeekgroup]

Given your staggering command of the language I'm not at all surprised.

[majcherek128]

A quick question, that I've never really got... How do you go about current-limiting?

Say if you have a transformer that outputs 12volt @ 190Amps (and if you tried to draw this much from it, it would basically just melt... lol). But it is that high because of the input (say: 120volt @ 20Amps).

How would you go about limiting that effectively, so you only are able to draw 12volt @ 10Amps, for instance?

It doesn't matter if it requires a whole circuit, I'm just curious.

[CoolDudeClem]

I made one with a microwave oven transformer, I can get big fat yellow arcs going up the wires with that.

[theleadprogrammer]

Haha, love the "wheeee" on the end. Made à ladder a few weeks ago to test my quad mot stack. Melted one of the electrodes :(. But it still surprises me how easy it is to impress people with high voltage and two electrodes.

[mwechtal]

We made one when I was in High School using a 15kv neon sign transformer. It required no tricks at all to initiate. Neon sign transformers are current limited, so they may be a little safer than other high voltage sources. In 1970, the neon sign company donated it, but due to liability, and the cost of copper that's not that likely any more.

[httprover]

lol

It's the sine qua non of the "mad" scientist.

[HighVoltageScience]

Do you have anything in mind that's some what safe ?

[Physicsduck]

Probably, yes. Though we may modify it for presentation or safety purposes.

[HighVoltageScience]

If i make a small demo and ship it to you guys will you use as a demo ?

[achuck4321]

You wore good clothes!!

[itstheit]

SCIENCE!