Plasma Power Supply

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I just finished building a new power supply for my open air plasma experiments.  This is actually my Puff Spark plasmoid circuit, but it's designed for continuous operation, rather than just a shot now and then.  I'm using the transformer, capacitor and diode from a MW oven, along with a defibrillator inductor.  This inductor is rated at 50 miliHenry, but other components would also work.  (Such as a winding from another MOT.)  The neutral wire from the mains is connected to the inside of the MOT's primary, and the inside of the MOT's secondary is connected to the core, as is the diode.  (The diode's arrow points away from the core.)  The auxilary capacitor is connected to my diode T-tap (powered through the inductor), and is there in case I want to use my Ball Lightning effect in conjunction with nanodrop HHO mist, from a compressed air aspirator.

Leedskalnin taught us that the diode's polarity determines whether the effect makes a "pup" sound, from a hollow plasmoid sphere popping, or a "phht" sound, from a plasmoid jet flinging out.  I'll set up a remote control if I ever drive the circuit with an rf inverter, since that may produce a continuously expanding plasmoid, the same as any other rf driven magnetic field.

I'll use this with my gradient plate mini particle accelerator.  I did an experiment in the past, with a ring magnet (from a magnetron) on top of the plate, and it converted a drop of water into a red plasma the size of a soft ball.

That's all for now.

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The spark from that auxiliary cap produces intense UV.  DO NOT make this spark to another arc without eye protection, such as UV certified sun glasses, or welding goggles.  This is especially true with the inductor in the charging circuit, since an extra amount of electrons will be pulled from the cap's single wire connection.

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I misspoke in my opening post when I said "nanodrop mist hho from a compressed air aspirator".  I was actually referring to nano bubbles, filled with hho, and mixed into the water.  We've all seen a cloud of tiny bubbles.  I'm thinking that the ionizing thermal radiation from my plasmoid, together with the high temperature produced by the hho combustion, may be able to split some of the water mist going into my gradient plate 'test' injector.  It won't be long before I have my salvage gasoline motor air compressor up and running, and I can do some tests.

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the ferrite in a magnetron is interesting shape and fragile

do you check the part number on the diodes?    = some are not always straight HV diodes

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That's a good point about the diodes.  I've found at least four different kinds in the MW's I like to salvage when I find one.  It's like the oven manufactures use whatever kind they can get the best price on, at any given point.  I found a round one that acts like a hv switching diode.  Placed in reverse, there's no conduction until the potential reaches a certain point.  (Ideally, near the top of the waveform.). The sudden conduction allows a sine wave to simulate a square wave, similar to a spark gap, with a steep rise time.  These cascade diodes are lightly doped, so the reverse current doesn't damage the crystal.  And some MW diodes on the market are reversible.  The polarity can be changed by applying a reverse potential while heating the diode for a period of 24 hours.  Before I use an oven diode, I just make sure it will charge a cap.  The voltage drop test with a battery doesn't always work; some diodes show conduction in both directions, until an appropriate biasing potential is applied. 

edit: A TVS cascade diode makes a better switch than a heavily doped zener.

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The spark from that auxiliary cap produces intense UV.  DO NOT make this spark to another arc without eye protection, such as UV certified sun glasses, or welding goggles.  This is especially true with the inductor in the charging circuit, since an extra amount of electrons will be pulled from the cap's single wire connection.

An open spark like this is not only producing UV.
It creates a whole spectrum of radiation...

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You're certainly right about that.  Arc flash is a dangerous business, especially when dealing with exotic energy.  The best thing to do is keep the arc enclosed, shielded from view, and just 'observe' the sound.  And the effect.  That's what I plan to do, keep the flash itself inside my test Injector.  But I don't think this spark produces any neutrons, with either polarity.  And I did have some good fireworks yesterday, when I tested my new set up.  Next year on the Fourth of July I'll do a Roman Candle.

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I finally had some time to do an experiment with my MOT setup.  I took the two main output wires and connected them to a spark gap, so I can blow gasses and mist through the arc.  (Like an atomic hydrogen torch.)  For the first basic test I used a micro jet soldering torch, with the flame locked on.  The arc caused the flame to turn red, which is characteristic of hydro carbons in general, and the red color can indicate the presence of hydrogen ions.  After passing through the arc, the flame extended to a distance of 4 1/2", which is much longer than normal.  And I can feel the heat a good foot out.  So I think this is a good candidate for use with TT Brown's 'flame on a wire' electrokinetic generator.  (Patent #3,022,430.)  After a few seconds, the ss rods for the spark gap got really hot and started throwing sparks.  And the MOT started smoking.  But it didn't fry the diode, since my T spark still worked.  When I have time, I'll try blowing some water mist through the arc, and see if it's red as well.  And as hot as this plasma jet is, it might work with a 3D metal printer, as an alternative to the expensive laser which is normally used to help the metal droplets blend in with the surface.