Lightning and lasers

[LaserLover]

Since we are talking about high voltages and currents; as we all know, when you dump a massive amount of current into a coil you create an intense magnetic field, briefly, so what can be done with this magnetic field you may ask. Well, how about shrink coins! http://205.243.100.155/frames/shrinkergallery.html

David

Yeah,
I know Bert. I sold him many high voltage caps I salvaged from industrial TEA CO2 high power lasers.
Typically 45 KV at 2 UF to 6 uF range.
Great stuff but never had time to try it. Simple enough to do to. Just dangerous as hell though.

Rick

[steve-o]

That sounds like the magnetizers here where I work. Huge cap banks switched thru SCR's and Huge amounts of current going thru just a few turns.. and when the coil blows..BOOM!!

Rick--I see you tried talking to the engineers over at CR4. Good luck

[LaserLover]

That sounds like the magnetizers here where I work. Huge cap banks switched thru SCR's and Huge amounts of current going thru just a few turns.. and when the coil blows..BOOM!!

Rick--I see you tried talking to the engineers over at CR4. Good luck

Hi Steve-O
High voltage caps can blow up as well. Lumonics laser had their pulse caps setup with tiny microswitches to detect excessive expansion so they know to replace them before the inevitable explosion can occurr.
The HV cap was located in the same metal cabinet as their deuterium based switch (huge tube made by EEV in the UK).
They also had Hydrogen based ceramic thyratron switches, crossatron switches, and finally the original nitrogen quenched spark gaps . All the above were in great demand for Tesla experimenters and coin crushers like Bert Hickman (retired ENG).

Yes, I thought I might throw in my 2 cents at CR4 and get a few perspectives from that bunch.

Rick

[steve-o]

Yeah caps, inductors, IGBTs, MOVs, power FETs, resistors, ICs, -just about anything electronic will blow-up with a bang given the right conditions. An ageing electrolytic is a good cantidate..

[buffo]

Especially when that aging electrolytic is the size of a beer can, right Steve-o?

I've even seen a few ceramics fly apart. Granted, they're not nearly as impressive, but they make a nice "snap" sound when they fail. But electrolytics are more fun: they either go pop or boom, depending on size, and they ALWAYS stink. (Not to mention the fact that they make a hell of a mess...)

I wouldn't want to be around if one of those truely enormous Maxwell caps that Bert uses ever blows up though.

Adam

[steve-o]

Yea I like hooking up 480 VAC to 2000uF 400VDC caps.
(its good to have a hobby)

Does the word fragmentation grenade mean anything?


Just kidding

[buffo]

Hmmm... I may have found a new hobby! (just kidding...)

Actually, I already have a hobby where I blow things up! Of course, my wife gets pissed about it at times. (hey, she suggested that I use the bread loaf pan. What did she think was going to happen to it?)

Fragmentation grenade indeed!

Adam

[steve-o]

Man!! That last one went sailing! I want some of those. What was that you were lighting those with? Looked like a pistol. Guess your wife was pissed

[buffo]

It's a portable butane pocket torch. They sell them at home improvement stores for around $30 or so. I've got 3 of them. They're ideal for lighting fireworks. (I've been known to set off $1000 worth in an evening, so a standard lighter just won't do!) They shoot a blue flame about 3 inches, which makes it really easy to light things quickly. Plus, with these babies your hands are far enough away that you never get burned by the spurting powder from the fuse.

I've been trying to get some more of those Powerballs ever since I filmed that video last summer. Saddly, I haven't found any yet. I'm starting to believe that they were imported illegally. For sure I've never seen anything this powerful before. (And I remember the incredible power of the original M-80's that you used to be able to get back in the early 70's.) These things are downright dangerous. I have no doubt that the charge inside the mortar shell would take your hand off at the wrist if you clenched your fist around one.

Still, they're a load of fun. (At least until I run out of them...)

Something else you might want to investigate (assuming you're into fireworks and all) is somethng called a "bird banger". You can buy them on the internet. They are fired from a small pistol that is similar to a flare gun. They travel about 40 yards or so and then explode. They're really loud! Best part is that you can get a case of them for like 40 bucks, so they're pretty economical. Google "bird banger" and you'll find them.

Adam

[steve-o]

Ahhh M-80's,a shitload of fun! I went in together with another guy back in highschool ane we bought a gross of 'em. 144 i think. Alot of bang for the buck. (pun intended). I'm trying to save up cash for a maxyzmodule (since I cant put it on my credit card) and how am I supposed to do this with the temptations of things like the bird-banger-- ('cause now I gotta have one!) (kidding)

Steve