Plasma Bulb 900 Watts Forced Failure: Slightly-Mad Science

Demonstration Material is Dangerously-Stupid, do not try this yourself.
From http://www.slightlymadscience.com
Using 15KV 60ma of electricity, a smaller lightbulb will light up like a little storm. The lightbulb's glass will eventually fail, with the electricity burning a hole through the glass. Pretty dramatic effect, too.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Plasma
• electricity
• lightning
• transformer
• arc
• science
• demonstration
• fire
• burn
• glass
• bulb
• amazing

[ErAsEdDiSc]

This may be a stupid question to ask since i just started looking into the whole plasma thing.. but i noticed you werent touching the bulb the entire time, especially after what happened. But how lethal would it be if you touched the bulb with your finger, and having what happened there happen on your finger?? =o

[TaoOfPooh26]

You mean when the glass broke, it was no longer insulating, and the arc went "hot"?

If my finger had been near where the glass cracked (or worse, directly in the way of the circuit), the combination of electrical and heat energy would be kinda like sticking your finger into an open flame while zapping it with a stun gun.

[161803]

@TaoOfPooh26 can you do that next?

[TaoOfPooh26]

@161803 Sry. I prefer to not actually get burned - even if sometimes it looks like I am (see my leidenfrost video).

[lokar2000]

How do you change the color of light ?

[TaoOfPooh26]

It's purple at first because the glass is acting as an insulator limiting how much current can arc (hence a thin arc) and it's arcing through argon (which is purple when you arc electricity through it). It changes to a thick bright orange after the glass cracks, which ruins its ability to electrically insulate. The bright orange is what the arc looks like from my 60 ma neon transformer when there isn't anything reducing the current.

[dfectus]

so how far away are you from making a light saber?

[lucasabadine]

how to make????

[9875ization]

I looking for a way to make a similar expermint to run the bulb its designed way do you know the parts?

[piehole1983]

@pingvinac

Refrigerators do not have air compressors. Compressors yes, but not for air. Air will destroy one in a very short time.

[pingvinac]

cool, tnx

now the rest of us should try the next step ;)

i wonder what could it be ... ideas ?

i have an idea of a small (tv driver) plasma coupled with air compressor (from refrigerator) to form a "sort of a moderately thick plasma pencil/knife" to draw on or to cut thin sheets of galvanized steel (maybe even 1mm thick)

your opinion ? someone wanna try ? it could be a market hit !

many factors straining me from making that stuff even though i have all the parts times 5.

[TaoOfPooh26]

@plasmaninjaa 15000

[TheLaughingMan0603]

wow, portable lightstorm :)

[mezooo2020]

Did he died ??

[mezooo2020]

Nuclear bomb

[TheArtonSlo]

don't try this at home?

you're doing it at home!!

i'm gonna try this now :P

[TheArtonSlo]

don't try this at home?

you're doing it at home!!

i'm gonna try this now :P