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Registered Member #10952
Joined: Mon Mar 11 2013, 11:12AM
Location:
Posts: 2
Hi! (first post and new to HV electronics, be gentle)
It is possible to burn fractal-like Lichtenberg structures into wood using high voltage arcs.
Inspired by this video and this earlier thread I am wondering if someone without a PhD in HV-electronics might try this (and live). After scouring the youtube movies on these wood-burn fractals and the accompanying comments (not for the feint of heart), I found out that these are created using high voltage sources and slightly damp wood. The trick is to jump-start the arcing using high voltages (~10kV) and then reduce the voltage to maintain the arc and create smaller structures.
So now I am eying an old neon transformer which can give me 8000 V at 50 mA, so 400VA. The question now is, how to limit the voltage? Can an ordinary variac be used? Most of them are designed for use up to 260V or such, but will allow much higher currents.
Some searching on this forum suggest that using it at higher voltages then spec is not a good idea. Short time overloading the current seems more acceptable. So what options do I have?
This seems like a cool project, but I am not willing to spend tons on equipment for such a one-off thing.
Registered Member #9252
Joined: Fri Jan 04 2013, 06:27AM
Location: Andromeda
Posts: 253
A variac is a nice choice. Tho i hate anything involving nsts. You can easily get 40kv using a 80 watt cfl and a flyback. That is the simplest way i know with out buying electronics and building drivers
Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
I agree. If you want to reduce the output voltage of a NST, the easiest way is to use a variac connected to the input of the NST.
I'm not sure the voltage is high enough in an NST to create Lichtenberg figures in wood. I have seen them created from the SSTC output on secondary coilforms however from high voltage burn-throughs.
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How to limit high voltages from neon transformer.
