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Re: [TCML] Jacob's Ladder

Capacitors are NOT typically used in a Jacobs Ladder.  Putting a cap in
parallel with the NST and electrodes will make for a much louder sound, and
it may also result in a brighter arc.  However, this circuit can easily
result in the destruction of the NST if the cap value is remotely near the
mains-resonant value, because the gap on a JL is by definition, wide open.

I have seen a very impressive display that creates VERY long arcs using a
ballasted pole pig and a series-connected capacitor.  I suspect that this
would also result in over-voltage damage to an NST so I wouldn't recommend
this either.

I would recommend against using copper tubing for the electrodes.  You need
the electrodes to be straight and rigid, and copper tubing is neither.
Instead, go to Home Depot and get some 3 ft 1/8" steel rods, in the hardware
aisle.

For "special effects", I've found that common table salt applied to
moistened electrodes results in the brightest colors - even more-so than
strontium salts.  And skewered baby carrots yield a surprisingly bright and
colorful arc.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA



On Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 11:39 AM, David Steinberg <david.steinberg@xxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:

> I have a 9kv / 30mA NST, some ¼” copper tubing, 7 CDE 942 caps (0.15mfd
> 2,000 v) and high voltage wire left over from building my tesla coil.
>
>
>
> I’m looking to construct a good jacob’s ladder.  Here are my design
> parameters:
>
>
>
> 1.      The voltage / current should be sub-lethal.  That being said, I
> think the 9kv transformer may not be powerful enough.  I would consider
> building a voltage multiplier, etc., if that would help.  Or switching to a
> 15 kv NST.
>
> 2.      I’d like to use my left-overs, but I don’t mind buying a few new
> things;
>
> 3.      A simple coat-hanger V-design is out of the question.  It must be
> interesting – perhaps a spiral, perhaps something different and
> interesting;
>
>
>
> I am looking for any and all ideas and / or designs.  Should I go ac or dc?
> Is there a simple way to boast the power of the 9kv transformer, or should
> I
> go with something else?  Anyone have a great and novel design?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> David
>
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>
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