RE: A question about UV and homemade plasma globes

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

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>

Hi,

I made lots of "cheap jar" type vacuum bell jars in high school.  Almost 
any normal large jar will easily implode.  I just made a big plywood box 
with a polycarbonate front to put them in.  Then when they blow out, you 
just dump the glass and get another jar.  The box safely contains the 
flying glass and all.  Get a big chunk of plastic for the base and oily 
putty for the cheap seal.  I used to have great fun with vacuum things with 
this simple setup even if it did blast out now and then.

I don't think there is any terrible danger from UV since the poly absorbs 
it pretty well.  Just wear UV sunglasses if it is a worry.  You will never 
get to X-ray vacuum levels with a cheap setup like this so no worry there.

Cheers,

         Terry


At 12:20 PM 10/17/2004, you wrote:
>I sure hope you are using some sort of blast shield, as a pickle jar
>isn't made to take a vacuum. So, I would be more concerned about the
>implosion risk then any risk from UV rays. What pressure are you getting
>these down to?
>
>Regards,
>
>David Trimmell
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
>Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 11:03 AM
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: A question about UV and homemade plasma globes
>
>Original poster: "David Speck" <dave-at-davidspeckmd-dot-org>
>
>Adam,
>The glass of a pickle jar will block most shortwave (harmful) UV.
>That's the same effect that prevents you from getting a suntan through a
>
>window.  Short wave UV tubes are constructed with quartz envelopes which
>
>are transparent to short wave UV.
>
>HTH,
>Dave
>
>Tesla list wrote:
>
> >Original poster: "mercurus2000" <mercurus2000-at-cox-dot-net>
> >I was wondering, after messing around with one of my homemade handpump
> >plasma globes, using a large pickle jar, I noticed it produces a small
> >amount of UV light after seeing different neon objects and other UV
> >sensitive material
> >fluoresce, is there any real danger from shortwave UV from a standard
> >evacuated pickle jar using a small powered flyback?
> >Adam
> >