I have - a similar offering via e-bay pre assembled. E-class circuitry solid stage, get super hot, cause a ton of interference, lots of fun ozone smell. But fun to play with. I had two connected as "super tweeters" and they really brought a whole new sound to my system. I'm sure one could use these as building blocks to create a quieter more audiophile version on the cheap and build a catalyst to eat some of the ozone. Great plasma tweeters on the cheap, and no tube hassle.
No safety mechanisms, etc, so be careful.
No safety mechanisms, etc, so be careful.
Push-pull designs of former Motorola are quite good reliability wise. Rather simple PLL will drive such a thing loaded with an appropriate X-former. Shielding and proper grounding will help with EMI.
Despite funny smell of ozone it's quite toxic and heavier than air. It will decompose @ 52C. If you see yellowish "smoke" then it's nitrogen dioxide which could cause pulmonary edema.
Decent exhaust evacuation will do.
Despite funny smell of ozone it's quite toxic and heavier than air. It will decompose @ 52C. If you see yellowish "smoke" then it's nitrogen dioxide which could cause pulmonary edema.
Decent exhaust evacuation will do.
Just finished the first one. No instructions, no schematic. Generates lots of interference... the CD player on bench stutters and freezes when the plasma is powered up. The 350T coil makes a compact florescent bulb light up as if it were plugged in. Very tiny output in term of SPL with a 20V, 1.7A supply.
Do you have an oscilloscope? It would help a lot.
I would suggest PLL anyway because tank parameters will drift over time, temperature etc.
Try to tune (adjust frequency) slowly, using multi-turn pot for instance. LW receiver may help: when you hit resonance amount of harmonics generated as EMI will subside.
The properties of discharge itself cold render all you EMI reduction effort useless. Depending on connection wires and such the RF spectrum of arc is quite wide. Thus shielding is a must: make a well grounded Faraday cage around ark for very least.
Cheers
I would suggest PLL anyway because tank parameters will drift over time, temperature etc.
Try to tune (adjust frequency) slowly, using multi-turn pot for instance. LW receiver may help: when you hit resonance amount of harmonics generated as EMI will subside.
The properties of discharge itself cold render all you EMI reduction effort useless. Depending on connection wires and such the RF spectrum of arc is quite wide. Thus shielding is a must: make a well grounded Faraday cage around ark for very least.
Cheers
Given the largely latent interest many have for plasma tweeters, it would be helpful for someone to help access info on RF control for us audio-band people.
What are the roles of aluminum window screens, cable ferrite beads, perforated copper printed circuit boards, old ESL stators.... esp RF shields that are transparent to higher frequency audio waves.
B.
What are the roles of aluminum window screens, cable ferrite beads, perforated copper printed circuit boards, old ESL stators.... esp RF shields that are transparent to higher frequency audio waves.
B.
Surprise! I visited a website of a particularly well-informed nice member and discovered he had a write-up on his experience with a Tesla plasma device. Worth a look.
Audio by Martin
B.
Audio by Martin
B.
interesting - ( -think I like old school spark-gap T-coils better than "musical" ones - ?) Roger Russell has a nice page on the Ionovac and illustrates it could exhibit more distortion than a 1" dome tweeter
which Klipsch paper showed the horrendous sideband activity for a plasma tweeter ?
Roger Russell's Ionophone Ionovac Page
which Klipsch paper showed the horrendous sideband activity for a plasma tweeter ?
Roger Russell's Ionophone Ionovac Page
All this staff comes with The Disclaimer: what you do at your own does not make anybody else responsible.
Had a look on kits sold at ebay. No pll whatsoever. Piece of schematic was visible though. Description also helps. One was 555 based adjustable oscillator Unitrode/TI driver and power mosfet. Others were self-oscillating ones.
Usually it works at 27.1...27.2 MHz which would annoy an insane number of radio amateurs (if not properly grounded/shielded) to begin with. Second harmonic is within analog TV or FM stations range. Putting something modulated with "copyrighted material" into air would make you a "not so legal" brodacaster one may assume. Ozone is quite toxic and widely used at water treatment stations/swimming pools instead of chlorine gas. Due to high chemical activity it's believed to have carcinogenic properties. High voltage is lethal. RF burns (as well as electrical ones) are really nasty and do not heal for a long time.
If all this have not stopped you from proceeding then I would suggest some Tesla lowers forums.
I may answer some hardware related questions. You may not like my suggestions due to industrial background.
Cheers
Had a look on kits sold at ebay. No pll whatsoever. Piece of schematic was visible though. Description also helps. One was 555 based adjustable oscillator Unitrode/TI driver and power mosfet. Others were self-oscillating ones.
Usually it works at 27.1...27.2 MHz which would annoy an insane number of radio amateurs (if not properly grounded/shielded) to begin with. Second harmonic is within analog TV or FM stations range. Putting something modulated with "copyrighted material" into air would make you a "not so legal" brodacaster one may assume. Ozone is quite toxic and widely used at water treatment stations/swimming pools instead of chlorine gas. Due to high chemical activity it's believed to have carcinogenic properties. High voltage is lethal. RF burns (as well as electrical ones) are really nasty and do not heal for a long time.
If all this have not stopped you from proceeding then I would suggest some Tesla lowers forums.
I may answer some hardware related questions. You may not like my suggestions due to industrial background.
Cheers
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+1, ozone is really dangerous to your health.
Besides plasma discharge tweeters, I've pondered air cleaners for the home. For air cleaning, I remain very confused about the relation of negative ion generation, ozone production, and charged-plate (electrostatic) air cleaners. Until recently, many restaurants had potentially dangerous "smoke eater" devices, no longer needed as smoking near victims is prohibited in all civilized societies.
Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners | Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | US EPA
The real issue for me is detection and I wish somebody could clarity that for all of us. It is said that you might be able to smell ozone at 10-ppb. That's somewhat better than the regulatory limits in the link above of 50 to 100-ppb. But just because under some test conditions you can smell ozone before it starts destroying your lungs doesn't mean you are OK sitting in front of your plasma tweeter in a small room, etc.
Elsewhere I've posted I was immensely impressed when I heard an Ionovac sitting on top of an AR3 in 1968 at the home of a Bell Labs buddy. Pity about that ozone danger.
B.
Besides plasma discharge tweeters, I've pondered air cleaners for the home. For air cleaning, I remain very confused about the relation of negative ion generation, ozone production, and charged-plate (electrostatic) air cleaners. Until recently, many restaurants had potentially dangerous "smoke eater" devices, no longer needed as smoking near victims is prohibited in all civilized societies.
Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners | Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | US EPA
The real issue for me is detection and I wish somebody could clarity that for all of us. It is said that you might be able to smell ozone at 10-ppb. That's somewhat better than the regulatory limits in the link above of 50 to 100-ppb. But just because under some test conditions you can smell ozone before it starts destroying your lungs doesn't mean you are OK sitting in front of your plasma tweeter in a small room, etc.
Elsewhere I've posted I was immensely impressed when I heard an Ionovac sitting on top of an AR3 in 1968 at the home of a Bell Labs buddy. Pity about that ozone danger.
B.
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I'm the one Bentoronto mentionned few post ago
-- the Ebay Plasma tweeter kit write up.
I just had a pair of acapella ion TW 1S tweeter in for servicing.
Naturally, I measured them and posted result/comments on my site...
I have them till June 10th 2018
If there something I miss you would like to see, let me know while it's still time.
-email please, I do not spend much time on DIYaudio...
Audio by Martin
Later
-- the Ebay Plasma tweeter kit write up.
I just had a pair of acapella ion TW 1S tweeter in for servicing.
Naturally, I measured them and posted result/comments on my site...
I have them till June 10th 2018
If there something I miss you would like to see, let me know while it's still time.
-email please, I do not spend much time on DIYaudio...
Audio by Martin
Later
Back in 1990 whilst refining gold with aqua regia i breathed in nitrogen dioxide fumes and ended up in hospitial coughing up copious amounts of blood, a truly terrifing experiance and the condition has re-occured every few years since. Its quite painless,the quantity of blood can be over 1 pint !!!
when telling people about this i refer to it as my Dracula act. But its really really frightening as the hospital gave me no treatment other than a bucket and tissue. Now:- As i understand it apart from ozone, Nitrogen oxides are also given off by plasma tweeters so i strongly advise those that want to experiment with ionic tweeters PLEASE take care not to inhale the fumes
when telling people about this i refer to it as my Dracula act. But its really really frightening as the hospital gave me no treatment other than a bucket and tissue. Now:- As i understand it apart from ozone, Nitrogen oxides are also given off by plasma tweeters so i strongly advise those that want to experiment with ionic tweeters PLEASE take care not to inhale the fumes
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