When I was younger, I spent hours perusing Bill Beaty’s electrostatics web pages. At the time, I didn’t achieve any real successes trying to build his high-voltage contraptions, and so my interest waned.
Years later, I saw someone online use a soda can as a collector for their Van de Graaff generator, and all my childhood memories of futzing with styrofoam and foil came rushing back. I made my first sparks that afternoon, after a quick stop at our local surplus store.
Here’s the simple design I came up with after consulting several tutorials. Using this device, I’ve generated thick, bright sparks 3″ long, and faint sparks 6″ long. Hold your finger close to it in a darkened room and you will see an eerie blue corona around your fingertip.
How It Works
There are 2 types of Van de Graaff generators. This one uses the triboelectric effect, in which certain materials become charged by contact with other materials — like when you rub a balloon with your hair.
During operation, a motor and roller at the bottom of the generator drive a rubber belt around a glass roller at the top, which creates a negative charge on the belt. A metal brush transfers this charge to a soda can, which is able to store a large amount of charge because it is both hollow and a conductor. The belt meanwhile becomes depleted of free electrons and needs to be replenished, and so a second brush at the bottom pulls in charge from whatever it’s connected to.
im tryin to build 1 bt the problem is ven i give little tension the rubber band does not rotate plz help…
I am trying to build one but can’t get the electrical tape to stick to the rotor shaft. The rotor shaft is about a third of an inch long, which I noticed is the same as the recommended one from Jameco. If I were to trim down the electrical tape as was suggested, there would be no length to attach the rubber band, never mind to make a crowned pulley. Recommendations?
Hello, I am student and I am trying to do this project. My question is in terms of the measurements what does 1½’ mean what is the equivalence in inch of frac?
1½’ means 1 1/2 inches. If you read through the instructions on the bottom, the fractions show up as they are supposed to if you are still confused about how you are supposed to read them!
Good thing you told everyone that … I was having trouble with the fractions…
can I make the collecter with something not can or ball shaped?
some questions…….
1 . After inserting one end as a brush in the tee ,what to do with the other end .
2.How does it works ? The brush in the tee should spray charges on the rubber band but from where it get charges to spray.As far I know for the movement of charges circuit should be completed????
Please help before 24 June,2013
thnx a lot 4ds
Will an aluminum sphere work better than a soda can, or does it matter?
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I have one question: if I try to collect the charge outside the tube will it word? Or it is necessary that the rotating rubber band is inside a pvc tube?
Yes it will. The Tube is for support.
i had biult but no sparks are there plz help me i am making it for my science project
If you Tape a piece of TP on the can. That will be the Indicator. It will float like a Magic Carpet when working correctly.
If your motor is turning then it may be the materials you chose to use. Please reference the Triboelectric Charts..(Glass has a high amount of extra Protons and Rubber has a high amount of Electrons) Please also take into account that the carrier’s of the charge must be of good electrical conductors(Silver is best!). Also, only make your top spindle Glass the Bottom should be wood as it almost has the same amount of Electrons as it does Protons.
Awesome instructions. We swapped out the battery pack for a small power supply that I bought off Jameco. It works great! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3938d6f36da9c31b30b9ef834aa0e196b846d609656709d890528a94c546778e.jpg
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