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What to do with this?

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Zenador

Sun Sept 20 2009, 04:11PM

Registered Member #1733 Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 03:17PM
Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Posts: 100

I bought this "box/case" from an electronics surplus store. I bought it for the look of the case, to use in fome future project. Thought it was someone's failed project.

I looked it up online, and discovered that it was actually a sales person demo unit for an air filtration system, from a real company.

When I opened up the bottom, I was supprised to learn that the (I assume) original parts are in it too. 3 small FBTs, a single board with 3 555 timer drivers.

I was going to gut it for something else, but now I can't decide. I can:
a) gut and save parts for something else
b) restore to original and use as intended
c) give it more power/modify it to arc internally, etc...

What would you do?

3937736590 D2b0dde285

Proud Mary

Sun Sept 20 2009, 06:10PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

Hey don't blow it up, lad!

Twere it mine, I'd carefully cannibalize the parts, leaving in place anything of good quality such as power input socket, mains fuse board and filter if any.

It looks very handy for experiments of great delicacy, but you could also put an HV PSU on the chassis, and then you have the plastic top as a safety feature. A good find, I'd say.

Zenador

Sun Sept 20 2009, 09:06PM

Registered Member #1733 Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 03:17PM
Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Posts: 100

So this device runs from a 14VDC external power supply, as it. I have many filters which I could fit, plus some small 12V 1A transformers to run it. I liked the plexiglass case for just the reason your mentioned.

The base has a small heater element for smoker oil. One would fill the heater container, turn it on, and fill the box with smoke. You could then "magically" remove all the smoke with one of 3 devices.

1. An Ion Antenna (computer case fan grill) attached to the HV out of a FTB.
2. An Ion Needle (pointy stick) attached to the HV out of a FTB.
3. Ozone screen. 2 wire mesh screens 2mm apart, one HV+ on the 3rd FBT, the other grounded.

There are 3 exhaust fans, which I can only assume were to vent the clean air smell (again, ozone) into the olfactory glands of the viewers. That just seems so wrong.

One of my original ideas was to try my hand at a small AMSSTC, trying to keep the boards small enough to fit in the base, and the pri/sec coils in the top glass enclosure.

Some fitted activated charcoal filters to control the O3 and NOx would be needed to keep the air inside "discharge capable", and air external relatively clean.

How small can one make an AMSSTC, while keeping discharges significantly visible?

Z28Fistergod

Mon Sept 21 2009, 02:03AM

Registered Member #2040 Joined: Fri Mar 20 2009, 10:13PM
Location: Fairfax VA
Posts: 180

Well does it work? I think it's pretty cool, I would be tempted to play with it for a while before I tore into it.

Zenador

Mon Sept 21 2009, 01:57PM

Registered Member #1733 Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 03:17PM
Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Posts: 100

I've managed to restore all but one connection. The previous owner modified the switch leads and cut the wires to the heater element. Some new wires to the heater and it will be good as new.

I have tested everything else, and there are no issues, all 3 FBTs work, all the fans work. The manufacturer says to use only their special oil for the smoke. Anyone know where I could source the type of oil needed? The heater looks like neon bulb elements.

If I can get the oil, I'll take a video of the box in action and post it.

aonomus

Mon Sept 21 2009, 04:51PM

Registered Member #1497 Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801

I see you made a trip to A1. I saw that thing in store and tried to figure out what was wrong with it, probably someone just did something boneheaded and miswired, but the HV stage was working fine. Perhaps you could mod it into a high output ozone generator without all the bells and whistles (glass case, oil diffuser, etc).

Zenador

Mon Sept 21 2009, 06:11PM

Registered Member #1733 Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 03:17PM
Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Posts: 100

Gotta love A1. The heater (oil diffuser) has had it's wires cut back. Will fix that tonight. All the fan power leads were re-wrired to actively vent the O3 while it was generating it. I have undone that. There are two 12v leads on the driver board which seem tied to the first 555 timer.

Still looking for a suitable oil. The thought came to me that model aircraft smoke oil may be suitable. I can get it for $30/gal, but that's way too much, the diffuser only holds 1/8 oz, and I have no other use for the oil. Going to look into producing my own stuff.

...

Mon Sept 21 2009, 06:19PM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I believe that smoke oil is just a mixture of glycerin and water, there was some pretty good information

Nice find in any case!

Zenador

Mon Sept 21 2009, 07:23PM

Registered Member #1733 Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 03:17PM
Location: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Posts: 100

... wrote ...

I believe that smoke oil is just a mixture of glycerin and water, there was some pretty good information

I agree. It's a slow day here at work, and just spent the last 90 minutes looking into home-made smoke liquids. After lots of reading, the glycerin/water (fog juice) looks to be what I want. I don't know why I assumed it would be oil. Perhaps because my dad flies RC planes and his buddies have the smoke systems in their aircraft.

I'll be heading to the drugstore after work to pickup some glycerin, and give it a go.

Cheers...

Arcstarter

Mon Sept 21 2009, 08:53PM

Registered Member #1225 Joined: Sat Jan 12 2008, 01:24AM
Location: Beaumont, Texas, USA
Posts: 2253

I am glad i saw this thread!!!

I had one of those before. About 1-2 years ago. this is what... Sparked my interest in Tesla coils. I took one of the mini flybacks, and the 555 driver with the tiny heatsinks on the irf740 i believe it was, and made a capacitor out of a bowl (haha) and aluminum tape, and a secondary with 3 different bits of wire. Those metal things that hold the ozone mesh thing where the spark gaps. I made that work somehow... First sgtc i ever made!

The spark was about an inch or so. I bent the two internal fans to blow the spark gap. I was so stupid. It sure helped me meet new people and do cool things, and i am greatly thankful for that.

I still have the 555 board with the 3 555's. All the 555's and all but one of the mosfets where removed, and the remaining one is dead. One or two of those little inductors are melted, and about 2 of the 5 or so lytics are dead.

I would say a small musical sstc in this would be *awesome*. Good luck!

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