Re: Fixing a Broken Plasma Ball

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

Original poster: "Bunnykiller by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bunikllr-at-bellsouth-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <tesla-at-ian-dot-org>
>
>I just bought a nice one foot diameter plasma ball
>pictured below...
>
>    http://www.ian-dot-org/Remote/PlasmaBall.html
>
>There are several more at American Science & Surplus
>at http://www.sciplus-dot-com/ for $40 if anyone on the
>list wants one.  No idea how many are left.
>
>Most however, like mine, have broken ends so the gas
>has escaped.  The last two pictures show closeups of
>mine, and the others are similar in the damage.
>
>I can most likely seal it up with some glue or epoxy
>but I would liek to put a nozzle of some type on so I
>can fill it with various gasses whenever I find something
>I like.  Any ideas or pointers on a valve to get or if
>I shoudl just stick to sealing it up withg glue?
>
>Second... what should I fill it with, and how?  I could
>fill it with water, and then bubble the gas in until all
>teh water is gone, but that seems messy.  Any suggestions?
Most plasma balls are filled with various gasses ( xenon krypton 
argon...  to name a few)  but here is the clincher...  they are under a 
partial vacuum...  soooo  a vacuum pump will be a good piece of equipment 
to have to do what you want.

The purity of the gasses are near 99.99% ...  something you wont find in 
the weding supply shops   altho you can find gasses in that condition for 
about 50 -100 $ for a bottle about the size of a 1 liter coke bottle from 
chemical supply distributors. ( seems to me you are paying for the bottle ) ...

You could try "welding" gasses ( argon CO2 Nitrogen He)   or see if a neon 
sign shop could fill the globe for you  they may even be able to order you 
the proper valve systems for your own work.

Scot D