RE: [TCML] STRIATIONS Argon

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

I was fortunate to have had access to a large welder's cylinder of argon (thanks Steve!).  We found a spool of ~1" diameter clear polyethylene  tubing, kind of a continuous thin plastic bag.  I filled a ~5 foot length with argon, and holding the inflated tube against my very small bug zapper transformer-powered coil, achieved several foot-long surface arcing along the interior of the tubing.  It was similar to a plasma globe.  I suspect that if I had used a higher powered coil, the plastic would have melted.

I also tried filling an aquarium with argon and running the coil in there, but it didn't seem to do anything special, not sure why.  I'm pretty sure I let enough gas flow to displace the air.  Based on that, I doubt the smoke ring trick would work.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Peter Terren
> Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2007 6:48 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] STRIATIONS Argon
>
> I have seen photos of a long plastic tube filled with argon (possibly partly
> pumped down) attatched to a TC that gave a spark or rather glow in the tube
> many meters long.
> The argon "smoke ring" should work at the expense of a lot of argon. At best
> 10% of the output of a smoke machine remains in the ring. It might take a
> bit to get a good photo. On my to do list. along with a lot of other argon
> stuff.
>
> Peter
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ed Phillips" <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 5:10 AM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] STRIATIONS
>
>
> > Another semi-offtopic "cool demo" idea.  I have heard that argon gas makes
> > the sparks larger/longer?  Someone once suggested that I get one of those
> > smoke ring launchers (http://www.zerotoys.com/newsite/products.htm) and
> > shoot argon gas rings at the topload for a lightning donut effect."
> >
> > That one sounds interesting but wonder if it would be possible to generate
> > a high enough concentration to do anything?  Seems to me guys here have
> > talked about filling a big plastic bag with helium and attaching it to the
> > top terminal.  I believe that Bill Beatty has described some interesting
> > experiments along these lines.
> >
> > Ed
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