Electric Arc

The breakdown capacity of air (for arc creation) is 33 KV/cm with spherical electrode. But it can be reduced by using pointer type electrode. That means to create an arc having a length 1cm, you have to apply 33KV.

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY WILL BE WASTED DURING THE CREATION OF CONTINOUS ARC.

IF YOU NEED DECORATION, USE ANY TYPE OF LIGHT ARRANGEMENTS.

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY WILL BE WASTED DURING THE CREATION OF CONTINOUS ARC

Yes 75VA the ignition transformer I used was continuous rated

The answer is YES and NO

Yes it can be done

No it's not safe (but it's fun)

Bits required

Glass tube 2½" X 5' from a FLP light fitting (bigger dia if you can find one)

10,000V ignition trasformer

½" X 2½ glass rod

10,000V ignition cable to suit

10' bare copper wire

Method

Glue the glass rod across the bottom end of the tube

Fasten two bare wires about ½" apart from the centre of the rod up to the top of the tube so that they form a V

Connect the O/P of the transformer to the two wires switch on and stand back

The arc will start at the bottom and travel up the tube due to ionised air being formed. I've done it and got the arc to near 10" long. The wife and neighbours didn't like me, it killed all the TV's & radio's in the area!

FUN but NOT SAFE!

Watch the film "Metropolis" by Fritz Lang to see it in action.

I recommend the re-mastered version with Queen's sound track. The track Radio GaGa is from the re-mastered version

Both versions were fantastic.

I am also a big fan of Charlie Chaplin's, Modern Times.

As for the Arc Light; is there a neighbour that you wish to irritate, or do like bright lights, noise, possible explosions and perhaps a wee bit of mayhem and death?

Connect the O/P of the transformer to the two wires switch on and stand back

Eeerrmm Correction stand back and then switch on!

can you upload a photo.your explanation is beyond my imagination.

In that case I sincerely suggest you do not attempt this experiment.

I suppose you know that searchlights use an arc as their light source.

For some reason, shopping malls and car dealers will sometimes use searchlights to try to attract customers _(why??), but I'd call that an attractive nuisance, not decoration.

but there is something like long random arcs trapped in a glass bowl

I'll throw my hit into the ring:

Is this the type of thing you are asking about? Jacobs Ladder.

Here are instructions to make one. As others have said, and it is repeated on the website, BE CAREFUL!

I knew it had a name but couldn't remember it.

The Jacobs Ladder is best if it's enclosed in a tube as the ionised air is kept local to the arc.

I've given you a GA just for the photo's (and joging my memory)

I had the opportunity to discover that a common pencil will conduct from the point inserted into the arc, to the metal ferrule, on through the body and shoes to the ground and back to the case of the ignition transformer, which was grounded mid-point. This amounts to roughly 5000v for a 10,000v transformer.

Later, I noticed a warning on the transformer: WARNIING! do not stick pencil in arc, you dumb ass!

Please watch the Tesla Coil Music videos here : youtube/tesla

The Jacobs ladder has already been mentioned, here are a few other alternatives.

Plasma Globe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_globe

and Crackle tube (also called "Luminglas")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crackle_tube

There are plenty of links on the internet to purchase or make them (just try an internet search of the names). Those that remember the TV series Star Trek Voyager will remember seeing the Crackle tube.

it can be done...and if you are the new millenia..then it could be much easier..you could even try to resonate it given that you have your God given magical abilities..

--the Sorcerer's Apprentice

Google up "van de graaf generators" They are reasonably simple to make and can give what appears to be a continuous arc. The voltage is quite high, up to several million volts, but the amperage is miniscule making them basically safe.

You could also try looking up Wimshurst machine, but again this one is a bit iffy on the safety side

What a stupid guest question again?

When were arcs ever safe to look at? Except maybe from many, many meters away....

When were they NOT huge consumers of electricity? Not environmentally good.

Why do we even post back when its a stupid guest again?

Who probably cannot even find this blog again to read the posts!!

The CR4 blogs for me at least, imply a basic level of knowledge/intelligence.

How come thjis is so often completely missing when a guest posts a question?

Posted anonymously on purpose to stop the crazies jumping on me!!!

It's OK by me if someone asks a salient question as a "Guest"

What I don't like are:

A/ being asked to some ones homework

B/ stupid irrelevant questions

C/ stupid irrelevant answers by "Guests"

Yes It's called an arc light ,

Nobody has mentioned the copious generation of ozone (O₃) produced by ultraviolet light from the arc in open air. Very unpleasant, and poisonous as well. This will argue against using a continuous arc for a light source. The unpleasant noise may be another argument. It's fun to experiment with a Jacob's ladder, as mentioned by Doorman, but I've noticed that folks rarely leave them turned on for long.

Arc lamps, enclosed bulbs with selected gases, make fine light sources, but don't show off the beauty of an arc. The plasma globes suggested by Jack nicely solve that problem, but they don't provide much light - you may even want to dim the lights. Neon signs are a nice use of continuous arcs, and neon tubes have been used architecturally, as shown, although specialized LED light sources, such as LED bars, strips and ropes, are replacing them.

In my early days in electrical engineering I worked on many open switchboards, I loved the smell of ozone (O₃). I'm still here 35 years later (Just). Walk in to the switch room and you could tell how bad a fault had been by the smell. (not counting the smell of burn insulation, I didn't like that).

it's good servant but bad master ?

Yes you can do it

No it is not cost effective and not safe for the purpose of lighting as well as for fun to replace LED or high high power LED.

Thanks for your valuable ideas. i dont know that much stuffs are already done. I have seen a Chivas Ragel in a cylindrically closed glass with white arc for attracting people.

No wonder, Chivas Ragel is counterfeit booze made in jeepnee radiators!

I don't know about Chivas Ragel by Chivas Regal is a nice drink to watch things go Flash & Bang. Have enough of it and you really don't care (Hic)

Exactly, The misspelling is the only way to tell it is bogus, other than the slight taste of anti-freeze and the blindness.

Oh crap its CHIVAS REGAL.

Wrong!

Its Chivas Regal crap......