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Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
I hope that I put this thread in the right spot.
Well yesterday, my Kvarts DRSB-88 Geiger Counter finally came. When I turned it on, its been acting strange so I went online to look for a good household item that emits a fair bit of Microroentgen to test out the counter. I went to dozens of websites but said that the only source of household radiation was : Radon Painted watches glass containing Uranium Oxide and an Americium fire detectors.
I dont have this so im looking for others sources. Help?
Registered Member #1262
Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451
I sure hope you have "Americium fire detectors", you'll know these as SMOKE DETECTORS, you know the thing that goes off when your welding or when there is an actual fire.
Carbon monoxide detectors should have Am-241 as well, altough I'm not totally sure. You should really have smoke detectors, so go pick some up and test them for radioactivity while your at it.
Registered Member #1262
Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451
They do have an optical smoke detectors now, atleast according to wikipedia. However I have never seen them myself (I think), so I'd guess you'll mainly still find the Am-241 ones like good ol' David Hahn collected for his nuclear mess.
Registered Member #690
Joined: Tue May 08 2007, 03:47AM
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 616
Go to the grocery store and look for KCl substitute salt. You could also possibly find this as an ice melter. Either way, naturally occurring potassium has a sizable percentage of radioisotopes in it which should register on your counter.
I don't know too much about radiation, so this could be a different type as opposed to alpha from the Am-241, and may not register. The KCl idea is from Theodore Gray's element collection site, which is worth checking out.
Registered Member #1438
Joined: Sat Apr 12 2008, 12:57AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 218
Thanks, im going to the grocery store now to find some ice melter. By the way, if natural pottasium has a small bit radioactive decay, would it mean that my jar of KNO3 (pottasium nitrate) also have some radioactive decay?
Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
Tungsten welding rods have a percentage of thorium 232, this *does* show up on even the cheapest counter :)
i also found out that most cheap webcams will detect both the alpha and gamma particles from smoke alarm sources - the tricky part is shielding. you need to prevent any light at all getting to the sensor, thin graphite or metal coated mica works well for this.
regards, -A
btw i have some pyrolytic graphite and mica here if anyone has a use...
Registered Member #27
Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058
how is the Am-241 present? i have a old smoke detector, theres a silver canister with 2 leads attached to it, its filled with liquid.
Unless there is a sticker there explaining the presence of radiation there is not supposed to be any.
The Americium is contained in small metal buttons like this, some times mounted on a larger metal disk. Where it is red in the picture it is dark grey on one side and silver on the other side. Only one side emit significant Alpha radiation, both sides emit Beta and Gamma.
i also found out that most cheap webcams will detect both the alpha and gamma particles from smoke alarm sources
How did you set it up? I want to try and reproduce it.
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Household Radioactivity
