Re: Van der Graff generator

[William Beaty <billb@eskimo.com>]

On Sat, 31 May 1997, Donald McQuarrie wrote:

> HELP!! As we started into some work on static electricity yesterday, I
> pulled out our van der graff generator and fired it up, planning on showing
> the normal "cool" demonstrations. I turned it on, the belt began to whir,
> and absolutely no charge was developed. None. Nada.

Hi Don!  High humidity kills "VDG" machines dead.  Totally dead.  The main
cure involves drying the cloth-covered roller.  To do so, use a hair
blow-dryer on high.  Open up the VDG to get access to the roller, turn the
machine on, then blast the roller assembly with hot air.  Also warm the
inside and outside of the plastic coulumn.  Keep occasionally touching the
sphere with a knuckle to draw sparks to see if you're making headway.
Sometimes it takes about 5 minutes for this to work.  Do this just before
use, since the humidity problem will slowly come back.

For more hints, see my VandeGraaff Generator page,

  http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/emotor/vdg.html

  http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/emotor/humid.html

So, where's Lynden?  I'm in Ballard (Seattle).

......................uuuu / oo \ uuuu........,.............................
William Beaty  voice:206-781-3320   bbs:206-789-0775    cserv:71241,3623
EE/Programmer/Science exhibit designer        http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/
Seattle, WA 98117  billb@eskimo.com           SCIENCE HOBBYIST web page