Re: the argon project

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Jolyon Vater Cox by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jolyon-at-vatercox.freeserve.co.uk>

Josh,
Well, it is possible to light a few NE-2 mini neon bulbs in a wineglass of
tap water put in a microwave.
(due to high voltages induced on the metal electrodes by the microwaves, I
suspect); in my experience the conductivity of the water did nothing to stop
the bulbs lighting -although the low running voltage of NE-2 -less than
100V-may also have helped here; bigger bulbs need bigger voltages and it may
be more difficult to get them to strike, particularly under water. Also,
remember that microwave frequency is MUCH HIGHER than that of the average
TC.

Good luck,
Jolyon.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 12:28 AM
Subject: the argon project


 > Original poster: "J Dow by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<jdowphotography-at-hotmail-dot-com>
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > Hello all
 >
 > I've been running my coil in the MassArt metal shop/foundry and Drum (he
 > runs the place) is getting into coils and HV. We were talking shop the
 > other day and got on the topic or argon welding gas, ionized gas, neon
 > signs and such like. He had the idea of putting a neon tube in a fish tank
 > and lighting it with the HV field from my coil. I didn't think it work
 > because of the water. Then I though of mineral oil, it would be clear like
 > water, but you would have to get an awful lot of it. Next I thought of
 > using this nice 4 foot by 3.75" clear acrylic tube I got out of the trash.
 > It was part of a fish "tank". It was meant to stand up and bubble, there
 > was a light at the bottom.
 > The experimental idea:
 > Stand tube with mineral oil where the secondary would go. Pump argon in
 > from the bottom. Watch as the argon bubbles in the oil ionize. The top is
 > caped to form a closed loop. We even found the old vacuum pump if we need
 > to bring the internal gas pressure down. The way I see it; if there is a
 > volume of low-pressure gas and you put it near a HV field it will ionize.
 > It shouldn't matter the sort of container you use, Glass, plastic or oil.
 > Anticipated problems:
 > Because the argon won't ionize at normal pressure, will a fish tank pump,
 > pump it at low pressure. We will see.
 > Read you later
 > Josh
 >
 >
 >