Re: 40w globe lightbulb = safe plasma ball?

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Dwight.Crider-at-regulusgroup-dot-com>


                
                    "Tesla list"
                
                    <tesla-at-pupman.       To:     tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
                
                    com>                 cc:
                
                                         Subject:     Re: 40w globe
lightbulb = safe plasma 
                    10/09/02 06:24        ball?
                
                    PM
                

                

                








Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<davep-at-quik-dot-com>

> I looked in the Pupman archives and found this thread.

> It seems that if there is sufficient gas in the vessel

> to create streamers/corona then the evacuation is

> insufficient to create hard radiation.
> But if the walls fluoresce, X-Rays may be being produced.

> Perhaps there is a threshold torr that may allow both

> situations to occur.


           >A curious factoid has floated up in my brain,
           from the vacuum tube days.  In the manufacturing
           process, after the vacuum was pulled, and the tube
           sealed, a 'high' voltage (unknown, presumably tube
           specific) was applied between 'something' and
           'something else': this 'pulled' stray atoms,
           left behind by the vacuum pump, and strays
           absorbed on the elements, glass, etc, out of
           there and slammed them into the walls, typically
           leaving a silvery spot.  This was called
           'gettering'.  IIR, one of the normal electrodes had
           an additional electrode called a 'getter', of
           no function in normal operation (being out of the
           electron path) but useful here.
               "Curious, yes. Stray atoms, no. Magnesium powder on
               the element, hence the "Magnesium Mirror". A number of
               processes have been used to "get" adsorbed gas from
               internal surfaces, one- notably induction heating.

          >The relevance:
           I _speculate_ that similar MAY happen in a lightbulb,
           under Tesla excitation: _improving_ the vacuum over
           time.
               "MAY", good choice. Reference Magnesium.
               (DaveP., it is much easier to critique than
               creatively innovate-My apologies.) Your idea
               does stir the possibility of the effect you
               speculated and also possible reverse effects,
               hence tubes becomming "gassy" with age.(maybe
               even me as well)

          > Independently, my guess is that which bulbs have vacuum,
           which have inert backfill varies from manufacturer to
           manufacturer and from size to size...

          > IF my speculation is correct (IF), I would doubt that a
           backfilled bulb could be 'cleaned up', however one with
           a 'dirty vacuum' might be 'improved' enough to change
           its performance as a (potential) x-ray source.

           best
           dwp

...the net of a million lies...
           Vernor Vinge
There are Many Web Sites which Say Many Things.
           -me

Please be kind to us "Old-Timers"; Cheers, and may all have a sparkin' day!
!:o> Dwight Crider