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Registered Member #54487
Joined: Mon Feb 16 2015, 02:29PM
Location:
Posts: 8
Thank you.
Before going further with tweaking I ran the existing setup in a series of short runs. From 10 seconds up to about 30 seconds to see if the transistors would heat up. No heating problems came up.
I did notice a kind of pungent smell/taste in the back of my throat/nose. It didn't resemble any fried electronics or cooked plastics. None of the components were warm or scorched. Unfortunately the smell/taste persisted for two days and then faded.
The location was well ventilated, next to an open window, but without any fan or air conditioner.
I removed about an inch of insulation from the HV positive and ground before I started.
I ran the test again a couple of days later and stopped immediately when I noticed the smell/taste.
I know I could move the setup outdoors as a last resort.
Does anyone have an idea what's going on here. As far as I know, I am not allergic to anything.
Registered Member #11591
Joined: Wed Mar 20 2013, 08:20PM
Location: UK
Posts: 556
hvduffer wrote ...
Thank you.
Before going further with tweaking I ran the existing setup in a series of short runs. From 10 seconds up to about 30 seconds to see if the transistors would heat up. No heating problems came up.
I did notice a kind of pungent smell/taste in the back of my throat/nose. It didn't resemble any fried electronics or cooked plastics. None of the components were warm or scorched. Unfortunately the smell/taste persisted for two days and then faded.
The location was well ventilated, next to an open window, but without any fan or air conditioner.
I removed about an inch of insulation from the HV positive and ground before I started.
I ran the test again a couple of days later and stopped immediately when I noticed the smell/taste.
I know I could move the setup outdoors as a last resort.
Does anyone have an idea what's going on here. As far as I know, I am not allergic to anything.
large arcs create alot of ozone. this is a gas which is composed of three oxygen molecules and reacts with the body in a similar way to carbon monoxide, but it has a very strong metallic smell or taste. in my experience the smell/taste doesn't persist after the source has been removed. As O3 is poisonous, arcing must not be carried out in enclosed environments.
Registered Member #4074
Joined: Mon Aug 29 2011, 06:58AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 335
High voltage corona discharges and cold purple arcs (like you would expect from a flyback driver) crank out a significant amount of ozone, but the taste and symptoms should stop very quickly after turning it off. You also get the same ozone smell during thunderstorms. A spark gap Tesla coil makes enough ozone to irritate your eyes, throat and can cause headaches, but I found that leaving my workshop door open and keeping run times down to one minute removed the issue.
Very hot firey arcs generate lots of nitrogen dioxide, which is a slightly more toxic beast. The arcs from a 60 mA NST will create a little bit, but I don't think its a concern unless you're firing up a 10kVA stack of MOTs or a distribution transformer in your bedroom.
Registered Member #54278
Joined: Sat Jan 17 2015, 04:42AM
Location: Amite, La.
Posts: 367
I have been following this thread and would like to make a totally isolated trigger for a spark gap that fires a high energy cap about 5-10kJ with a simple trigger--much like these. I was thinking about using an automotive ignition coil. I would really like to fire it with an ionizing device or corona--NOT plasma or spark, since it is very important that there be no strong connection between the trigger and the power circuit. I would like to simply -fire- the 'corona or ion beam' between the two electrodes.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
Signification wrote ...
I have been following this thread and would like to make a totally isolated trigger for a spark gap that fires a high energy cap about 5-10kJ with a simple trigger--much like these. I was thinking about using an automotive ignition coil. I would really like to fire it with an ionizing device or corona--NOT plasma or spark, since it is very important that there be no strong connection between the trigger and the power circuit. I would like to simply -fire- the 'corona or ion beam' between the two electrodes.
I'm not sure I follow exactly. Do you mean you wish to enclose the discharge inside glass, or something, or just ionise the local atmosphere?
Argon might be useful for either, and it can be obtained in small quantities for a few £/$
Registered Member #11591
Joined: Wed Mar 20 2013, 08:20PM
Location: UK
Posts: 556
Signification wrote ...
I have been following this thread and would like to make a totally isolated trigger for a spark gap that fires a high energy cap about 5-10kJ with a simple trigger--much like these. I was thinking about using an automotive ignition coil. I would really like to fire it with an ionizing device or corona--NOT plasma or spark, since it is very important that there be no strong connection between the trigger and the power circuit. I would like to simply -fire- the 'corona or ion beam' between the two electrodes.
you could consider using a pulsed laser to ionise the air. somthing like plazmatron's YAG laser should do the trick
Registered Member #54278
Joined: Sat Jan 17 2015, 04:42AM
Location: Amite, La.
Posts: 367
Thanks guys, The flyback looks like it would work here -if- limited to corona. I am mainly looking for a cheap and simple way to make the air between a 'switch' in the form of two concentric circles (about 1cm ring gap) to start a conductive path (trigger) without having an immediate spark. The thing is in a magnetic field perpendicular to the wires and I wanted to hold off plasma (final spark) for long as possible. there are no common connections between the switched circuit and the trigger--in hopes to isolate them- I am hoping corona from an ignition coil could work. I would love to use a laser to ionize the air between the gap, but this is way out of the $$ range. Any ideas on how to get the coil emitting plasma?
SO, I am not looking for a fast initial trigger, just a way to 'gently' start the process without hot plasma or sparks, After gently started, the switching process can build up as it will.
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Tweaiking a flyback driver
