cheap geiger counters?
haxor5354, Fri Sept 28 2012, 01:14AMjust made a TL494 flyback driver, suprising it works better on a lower duty cycle
then I connected the output of the flyback to a thermionic diode and i can see the glass wall of the tube glow blueish
does that mean the glass is absorbing some of the x-rays?
whats the cheapest geiger counter for sale?
i've looked on ebay and the cheapest ones are 150$
are there cheaper ways to get a geiger counter that can detect x-rays?
Re: cheap geiger counters?
Dragon64, Fri Sept 28 2012, 02:45AM
Geiger counters are not too reliable at detecting the true amount of radiation being outputted by an x-ray tube or any tube creating high amounts of ionizing radiation; due to the fact that Geiger tubes need to be quenched which produces a dead time.
As for buying cheap geiger counters, the cheapest are usually low end geiger counters like a Kvarts DRSB-88 which costs about $29-39 USD. If you want a geiger counter with a digital readout, I recommend making yourself an arduino geiger counter using cheap SBM-20 tubes. Purchasing a geiger counter with digital readout usually costs upwards of $100USD.
You should preferably either buy a geiger tube which has the shortest dead time (fastest quenching) or an ionization chamber.
With these things said though, you always have adequate shielding such lead when playing around with tubes and high voltage.
Dragon64, Fri Sept 28 2012, 02:45AM
Geiger counters are not too reliable at detecting the true amount of radiation being outputted by an x-ray tube or any tube creating high amounts of ionizing radiation; due to the fact that Geiger tubes need to be quenched which produces a dead time.
As for buying cheap geiger counters, the cheapest are usually low end geiger counters like a Kvarts DRSB-88 which costs about $29-39 USD. If you want a geiger counter with a digital readout, I recommend making yourself an arduino geiger counter using cheap SBM-20 tubes. Purchasing a geiger counter with digital readout usually costs upwards of $100USD.
You should preferably either buy a geiger tube which has the shortest dead time (fastest quenching) or an ionization chamber.
With these things said though, you always have adequate shielding such lead when playing around with tubes and high voltage.
Re: cheap geiger counters?
Conundrum, Fri Sept 28 2012, 09:39AM
Tried to send a reply and my internet went Strange Loop.
I'd use a cheap Geiger tube with a pair of magnets axial to the tube, a good source is defunct Zip drives.
Another trick is to get a surplus B/W B&Q camera with the 6 IR LEDs and then gut it, add a pyrolytic filter and then lightproof it.
Good for several months if properly sealed and dried
I also added a variable clock to mine, so it can be switched between normal visualiser and high sensitivity.
Interestingly enough alphas get through the graphite that it looks like a snowstorm on the sensor with a typical piece of thorium weldng rod or Am241 source.
Haven't had a chance to use my radium clock, as the sensor failed due to moisture eating the bond wires
See
Conundrum, Fri Sept 28 2012, 09:39AM
Tried to send a reply and my internet went Strange Loop.
I'd use a cheap Geiger tube with a pair of magnets axial to the tube, a good source is defunct Zip drives.
Another trick is to get a surplus B/W B&Q camera with the 6 IR LEDs and then gut it, add a pyrolytic filter and then lightproof it.
Good for several months if properly sealed and dried
I also added a variable clock to mine, so it can be switched between normal visualiser and high sensitivity.
Interestingly enough alphas get through the graphite that it looks like a snowstorm on the sensor with a typical piece of thorium weldng rod or Am241 source.
Haven't had a chance to use my radium clock, as the sensor failed due to moisture eating the bond wires
See
Re: cheap geiger counters?
Dragon64, Fri Sept 28 2012, 02:20PM
There's actually a pretty good example of that effect here
The americium snowstorm starts at 3:04
Dragon64, Fri Sept 28 2012, 02:20PM
Conundrum wrote ...
Interestingly enough alphas get through the graphite that it looks like a snowstorm on the sensor with a typical piece of thorium weldng rod or Am241 source.
Interestingly enough alphas get through the graphite that it looks like a snowstorm on the sensor with a typical piece of thorium weldng rod or Am241 source.
There's actually a pretty good example of that effect here
The americium snowstorm starts at 3:04
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