Mini Van de Graaff generator

Mini "Van de Graaff Generator" based on the video by DayfallKat ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml6GWVlPCPM ), and the information available at http://scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/electro/electro6.html .
The camera doesn't pick up all the sparks but every tick you can hear is one.

more info will be available at http://phobos.50webs.com/elektroweb/

(sorry for the poor quality but I had to use my phone camera because my webcam couldn't capture any sparks at all)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• van
• de
• graaff
• generator
• phobos
• phobosapiens
• static
• charge
• discharge
• spark

[tikifish28]

I looked at the website that you put on there is it the same materials used ? a fuse and just the motor or did you go ahead and improvise? if so could you tell me what was used? thanks!

[phobosapiens]

@tikifish28 yes, I used a glass fuse on the top roller and the inside of a pen on the bottom roller.

[coolaidkiller101]

@phobosapiens what did you use as the band(teflon tape,rubber band?)

[phobosapiens]

@coolaidkiller101 just an ordinary (postal) rubber band.

[PSPortalMaker]

What did you use for the ball on top of the larger rod?

[phobosapiens]

@PSPortalMaker: heh I expected someone to ask that question one day.

It's a decorative ball you can mount on a wooden pole (for a garden fence or something like that). It comes with a square base, but it was really easy to get that off. After I had removed the base I sanded and polished the ball to give it a nicer look. Another thing I did was, strip a piece of wire and add the insulation to the rim of the ball (after making a fulllenght cut in the insulation)

[HorizonDelta]

kool

[phobosapiens]

I definitely want to see your wimshurst generator , that's one of those things I still want to make (and of course a tesla coil!)

[DayfallKat]

Very nice. You are certainly an inspiration. I'll have to upload a video of my Wimshurst generator that I made for this Halloween.