Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

[Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 16:16:06 +1030
From: Matthew Smith <matt@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

> Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 13:42:18 -0800
> From: John Pepper <jspepper@xxxxxxx>
>
> Best results to date with pumping are about 18" discharge to a grounded 3/4"
> ball.   I have tried the blowdryer trick to remove moisture but with the
> polyethylene belt is tends to grow in length and become too slack.

Assuming that the belt isn't growing hugely, use a belt tensioner at
either end.

The top end would probably be easiest - you could hinge the  entire
roller/collector assembly and have it tensioned by a spring or even
rubber bands.

A bottom-end tensioner could be achieved in a similar way.  With a small
VDG and small motor, the motor/roller combination could be hinged and
tensioned.  With a larger motor, the roller could be hinged and fitted
with a pulley to be belt-driven by the motor.

Cheers

M

-- 
Matthew Smith
Kadina Business Consultancy
South Australia
http://www.kbc.net.au