Spark Generator

Electronics
1

I’m wanting to do a high-voltage jacob’s-ladder project with my neices and nephews.
Any suggestions on low-cost, non-lethal ~10,000v power supplies?

I found things that look like this: Do they need external circuitry to drive them, or just a couple batteries?

And things like this:

I’m thinking we can bend some bare wires to make the jacob’s ladder part. Maybe a couple inches tall.

Any ideas? I want it cheap enough that everyone can make their own. A little soldering is ok. I don’t want kids to get killed, but some yelling is ok.

–Tobias

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Hmmm I don’t have one of those. I will in a day or two. :slight_smile:

so the key to a decent Jacob’s ladder is it has to be able to arc pretty good. I intend to try this out myself, I think the jacob’s ladder I have uses a flyback transformer.

I’m not seeing it on amazon, I must have picked it up on wish. I don’t think I’ve unpacked it yet. I’ll take a look and post a pic.

oh wait… it’s on insta! https://www.instagram.com/p/BkbcUM2FGVH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

thanks @Malissa Long !

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Looks like the flyback transformer makes a pretty good arc. I’m hoping I can make it from something cheaper…

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Hey I found it, it still works

https://youtu.be/wzarv7U39_M

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So I bought the pair of 15…1.5kv the Amazon one.

I don’t think it’s going to make a good Jacob’s ladder. It’s only going to give you a 2 to 3mm arc. I bought a pair and they have zero instructions. Though most of it is pretty intuitive neither of mine work yet. Prob a transformer problem.

The black cylinder ones are similar to what I made my HV piano for kids with. Get an atx power supply and you can get some fun arcs. It probably would make a decent Jacob’s ladder.

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Thanks, James!

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Ah! Got the 15k working measure the windings on the transformer. That way you know how they pair up. One coil has a wire on one side the other coil has a wire on the other side and they both have a wire in the middle. Basically shorting the two windings on the copper side together.

There ya go. I just need a 9v battery… ddc converter, and a project box, and work becomes more interesting

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I wrote that weird

Here is a pic to confusing things more better

20190716_195227.jpg
20190716_195227.jpg2138×2851 3.73 MB

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And here it is configured as a Jacob’s ladder

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