High Voltage Antique - Slightly-Mad Science

Demonstration Material is Dangerously-Stupid, do not try this yourself.
I recently obtained a "Violet Wand" (not to be confused with a "Violent Wand" which is what Harry Potter fans use when you make fun of them).
It was made over 80 years ago, and still works. It's a nice example of applied physics, and ALSO how some will try to scam you into buying quack medical devices claiming to cure almost every known disease. Perfect for Slightly-Mad Science.
Time for some antique high voltage!

For more information regarding Violet Wands:
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_wand
Museum of Quackery http://www.museumofquackery.com/devices/uv.htm
Wacky "Energy Therapy" People http://www.meridianinstitute.com/eaem/master1/mastcont.html

Links regarding quack medicine:
Quackwatch http://www.quackwatch.com
Respectful Insolence http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/skepticismcritical_thinking/friday_woo/
Quack Medicine http://www.quackmedicine.com/

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• science
• voltage
• electricity
• physics
• dangerous
• funny
• comedy
• humor
• slightly-mad
• medical
• quackery
• skeptic
• wand
• tesla

[RoupaManjaridevidasi]

The instructions sold on modern versions of the device warn against placing it directly over the closed eyes. Do you consider it safe to do so?

[TaoOfPooh26]

@RoupaManjaridevidasi I think that even if they didn't give you a warning, the LAST thing you want to risk is your eyes. Mind you, the antique devices frequently had an electrode specifically made to put on your closed eye - and so long as a functioning argon-filled glass electrode is the only contact you're likely to get minimal exposure - but it's probably best not to.

[smilingbobbyo]

I own two of them. One does not work, it got over heated. I understand it has a wax capacitor. I know they can be fixed with a ceramic capacitor. I do not know how to go about repairing it myself. Can you advise me on repair. thanks

[TaoOfPooh26]

@smilingbobbyo I do know there's some online resources that should be able to help you with that. Google "violet wand guild," "electrotherapy museum," and "violet wand resource network." FYI, some of the uses for the wands are NSFW, and are at least discussed on some of the resources you'll find above. So probably best to view them at home and not at work.

[ariana7771]

this is totally awesome i cant wait to take this to the antique roadshow. i have one in perfect condition my daddy passed on to me before he died he said it was from 1907.....i would love to find out cant wait to try this out on myself!!!

[TaoOfPooh26]

I would advise caution, as if the insulation fails, you could end up with a very nasty shock.

[beenzo]

so that's just electricity going to you?

I just bought one of those from an antique store..international electric company Chicago, july 7, 1908. I haven't used it yet, but im excited to see what i can do with it.

[MEGAFATBOY]

When you licked the electrode, did it taste good? ;)

[SHARKREEF2011]

@punishedexistence not the same thing.

[AerialTheShamen]

Is starting a violet ray like setting off the EMP of a mini atomic bomb inside your house, or does it only toast electronics when the spark hits it directly?

I am familiar with HV (I repaired TVs etc.) but not with spark gap tesla coil RF properties. Which distance to ICs is safe? On the 'Tesla Guitar' video they e.g. operate a way larger tesla coil in the same room with guitar amps and a digital keyboard. Will I only need a mains filter, or is air distance the main risk to ICs?

[AerialTheShamen]

How dangerous is a violet ray device to digital electronics?

Will it fry every chip in the house to plug it in, or only e.g. a PC plugged 50cm away from it? The house where I live is full of ICs - no single place without irreplaceable digital electronics further than 2 meters air distance.

Which type of mains filter prevents this? Are ferrite ring chokes in mains cable sufficient? (I read that insulation transformers or lightning surge protectors burn out by continuous? HV.)

[AerialTheShamen]

@RoupaManjaridevidasi I read that people still massage their closed eyes with the disc tube - sound eerie since already a too close cell phone antenna can produce cataract by cooking the eye lens. Violet rays can have 5W radiation, which is 10x mobile phone output. (But possibly the heat concentrates differently since a violet ray has only some 100kHz while phones? use microwaves of some GHz.)

[LordKarmaUSA]

Amateur

[RoupaManjaridevidasi]

@TaoOfPooh26 Thank you. What is your opinion of electric therapy and do you believe that the violet ray is capable of curing numerous varied physical ailments?

[jamesdonnellan010101]

your great dude

[punishedexistence]

I have one of these at work, called a neon tube tester. It looks kinda like a tube of silicone with a metal tip, and it works and sounds exactly like this, though it's smaller. One thing, though is that it will deliver a hell of a jolt it you touch it.

Your channel rocks, I love mad science, although my specialty is more towards chemistry, though HV is still a close, and I mean close second.

Thanks for the videos though!