Re: A question about UV and homemade plasma globes

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "mercurus2000" <mercurus2000-at-cox-dot-net> 

The vacuum isn't very much at all, I just used a plastic dollar general
water bazooka modified to make the vacuum pump, and I pump it by hand, in
fact I still use the pickle jar lid for the lid normally, and use aquarium
oneway valves to hold the vacuum, so it's not very low, maybe around 40-50
mm? I don't have money for a REAL vacuum pump.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 4:09 PM
Subject: RE: A question about UV and homemade plasma globes


 > Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>
 >
 > Hi,
 >
 > I made lots of "cheap jar" type vacuum bell jars in high school.  Almost
 > any normal large jar will easily implode.  I just made a big plywood box
 > with a polycarbonate front to put them in.  Then when they blow out, you
 > just dump the glass and get another jar.  The box safely contains the
 > flying glass and all.  Get a big chunk of plastic for the base and oily
 > putty for the cheap seal.  I used to have great fun with vacuum things
with
 > this simple setup even if it did blast out now and then.
 >
 > I don't think there is any terrible danger from UV since the poly absorbs
 > it pretty well.  Just wear UV sunglasses if it is a worry.  You will never
 > get to X-ray vacuum levels with a cheap setup like this so no worry there.
 >
 > Cheers,
 >
 >          Terry
 >
 >
 > At 12:20 PM 10/17/2004, you wrote:
 > >I sure hope you are using some sort of blast shield, as a pickle jar
 > >isn't made to take a vacuum. So, I would be more concerned about the
 > >implosion risk then any risk from UV rays. What pressure are you getting
 > >these down to?
 > >
 > >Regards,
 > >
 > >David Trimmell
 > >
 > >-----Original Message-----
 > >From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
 > >Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2004 11:03 AM
 > >To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > >Subject: Re: A question about UV and homemade plasma globes
 > >
 > >Original poster: "David Speck" <dave-at-davidspeckmd-dot-org>
 > >
 > >Adam,
 > >The glass of a pickle jar will block most shortwave (harmful) UV.
 > >That's the same effect that prevents you from getting a suntan through a
 > >
 > >window.  Short wave UV tubes are constructed with quartz envelopes which
 > >
 > >are transparent to short wave UV.
 > >
 > >HTH,
 > >Dave
 > >
 > >Tesla list wrote:
 > >
 > > >Original poster: "mercurus2000" <mercurus2000-at-cox-dot-net>
 > > >I was wondering, after messing around with one of my homemade handpump
 > > >plasma globes, using a large pickle jar, I noticed it produces a small
 > > >amount of UV light after seeing different neon objects and other UV
 > > >sensitive material
 > > >fluoresce, is there any real danger from shortwave UV from a standard
 > > >evacuated pickle jar using a small powered flyback?
 > > >Adam
 > > >
 >
 >
 >