Jacobs Ladder 12V Version

[Fiddy]

G'day,

Another kit i assembled
Grabbed it from jaycar for $40 odd pennys.

Uses a Holden Commodore Ignition coil for the business end, you have to supply your own coil, i got mine from repco which was around $50 coins.

The ladder runs at 75hz and is drawing 1A @12V.

I made this nice acrylic base at work.

Arc photo's around 2 seconds exposure time.

heres a video i made:

Thanks for looking!

Fiddy.

 

[Flaminpyro]

That's really cool, I have made jacobs ladders before but with neon sign xformers never a solid state type.

it's a whole bunch lighter than a sign xformer :crackup:

try getting the rods as straight as possible it will help the arc to climb better.

Very clean build it looks great :gj: +3 when it will let me...

 

[Lase]

That's awesome. +1 (when it lets me)

I am totally getting on a plane one day and coming to play with your toys

Lase

 

[Benm]

That looks pretty cool

How much current/voltage does it output?

 

[bobhaha]

That looks pretty cool

How much current/voltage does it output?

1A @ 12V... It's in the OP

 

[Things]

1A @ 12V... It's in the OP

Output

Judging by his pics, I'd estimate the spark length at about 1.5cm, which equates to about 16.5kV in ideal conditions. At 1A 12V input, with max efficiency and assuming the voltage is in that range, you're looking at about 0.75mA output current.

I actually still have one of the first versions of this kit, that used to drive the old hunky oil filled coils. It failed miserably as a jacobs ladder since the arcs weren't really hot enough to rise properly, though I have got 2 coils connected to it in antiparallel without any modifications and often see 9cm+ sparks from it. Still works to this day ...

 

[bobhaha]

Oh... I thought it was weird why he wanted to know the input specs... fail.

16.5kV is pretty impressive for that sized flyback... I wouldn't have expected that.

 

[Ghostchrome]

Sweeeeeet. Love a good Jacob's Ladder. :gj:

 

[Fiddy]

That's awesome. +1 (when it lets me)

I am totally getting on a plane one day and coming to play with your toys

Lase

Haha do it!

Output

Judging by his pics, I'd estimate the spark length at about 1.5cm, which equates to about 16.5kV in ideal conditions. At 1A 12V input, with max efficiency and assuming the voltage is in that range, you're looking at about 0.75mA output current.

I actually still have one of the first versions of this kit, that used to drive the old hunky oil filled coils. It failed miserably as a jacobs ladder since the arcs weren't really hot enough to rise properly, though I have got 2 coils connected to it in parallel without any modifications and often see 9cm+ sparks from it. Still works to this day ...

I haven't measured the output volts, i don't have a meter that is capable, i will buy one soon i should put my clamp meter around one of the electrodes to determine the current, don't think the resolution of my meter will be low enough tho.

Wow 9cm+ is awesome! I have my Microwave Oven Transformer pulling ridiculous arcs atm, like 20-30cm once the arc has been initiated by a pole i have, that's 2.5A @ 1800-2100V's tho, im in process of running another MOT in series with 4x 1uF caps making 4kV, hopefully its enough to self start the arc...

Sweeeeeet. Love a good Jacob's Ladder. :gj:

Hehe thanks

 

[Fiddy]

UPDATE

Got a higher power ignition coil from MSD and put spark plug insulators on the HV outputs

 

[vk2fro]

IS that circuit based on a 555 timer?

 

[Things]

Yes. Ignition coils work with interruptive switching. ie apply power, then quickly cut it off. Very simple to do with a 555 timer.

 

[Fiddy]

yup, what i call varying DC!