What is the easiest way to generate high voltage DC electricty to make arcs without spending alot of money?
79642
Those guys (arc welding power supplies) have high voltage inside, but they output low voltage at high current.\nTry old neon transformers, oil burner ignition transformers (but you need some high-voltage diodes for DC), a discarded TV set (but very dangerous, HV can be stored in various places when you open it). \nFor battery ops you might be able to gin something up with an ignition coil and some sort of primary current interrupter but you'll get pulses, not DC. If you're into DIY, you can rip the flyback transformer from a TV and follow the directions in the ref. Many more such projects if you google High Voltage Inverter". Good luck.
486492
THE EASIEST WAY TO DEMONSTRATE GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY IS TO GET SOME SMALL INSULATED COPPER WIRE AND WRAP IT AROUND A SMALL PILL BOTTLE,  AT LEAST 100 TURNS OR MORE (MORE IS BETTER) CLEAN THE INSULATION OFF THE ENDS OF THE WORE AND ATTATCH TO A VOLTMETER OR A MILLIAMETER.. INSERT A BAR MAGNET INTO THE PILL BOTTLE QUICKLY.  THE METER WILL GO ONE WAY WHEN YOU INSERT THE MAGNET AND WILL GO THE OTHER WAY WHEN YOU PULL THE MAGNET OUT.  THE FASTER YOU MOVE THE MAGNET THE MORE THE METER MOVEMENT.  HOPE THIS HELPS
914327
A fired heater will probably be the cheapest way.  You could try electric heaters (you can buy the elements from water heaters at appliance repair shops - they use 240V), but the electricity cost will probably be more than for the fuel (if you were thinking gas/petrol, maybe propane or natural gas will be cheaper).  I also don't know if I'd be comfortable putting electric elements in 3500 gallons of biodiesel - I've seen a few kitchen fires, and burning oil is never pleasant.\n\nYou could also consider solar heating - it would be cheaper in the long run, but any efficient installation would have to involve heating panels, piping, pumps, and a lot of water.  You could try painting your tank black, but that probably won't work very well unless you live in the desert or high plains.
417548
You could, but there would need to be an efficicent and cost-effective way to do it. There are very large Uninterruptible Power Supplies out there that can be there, in-line, that would act like a buffer.\n\nIt is possible to reverse electricity to an electrical utility. In fact, you can 'farm' electricity and make money doing it.  You simply need a power switch, and some compliance switching devices to feed it back. Its been done with the solar power industry for years.
786312
Since you're dealing with a variable energy source (wind), you're best bet is to build a DC generator...\n\nIs this a science progect?\n\nA DC Generator is the same machine as a DC motor...  So if you're building something for your home, then just use a DC motor and a simple belt an pulley to reduce the rotational resistance (or load) on the blades, so a slower wind can be used...\n\nFor a Science project...  \nBuid three loops of wire and seperate them 60° on the rotor of the wind mill.  Place a magnet on either side. north to south\nSet up "brushes" (chunks of graphite like pencil lead) on either side so that as the rotor spins with the wind, the same side is going to the same terminal + or - no matter which side of the coil it is.\n\nHave fun with it...
89341
Just buy the plugpack.\n\nIf you want more amps, or variable volts, be specific.
902006
You might try these folks.  I have used them for low voltage (24 VDC) with great success.\n\nTransorb Electrical Products Ltd, PO Box 1799. Grand Forks, BC, V0H ...
683251
I just helped my daughter with her science project. We made an electromagnet. Very easy to build and you can get buzzers, lights, and battery holders a your nearest hobby Lobby. you can also get toggle switches at the local hardware store. Mount it all on a nice piece of wood and your in business. by the way, my daughter took home first place!
1098885
A motor is an electrical device that turns electrical energy into mechanical energy. I really don't think that is what you're after. You want to turn mechanical into electrical, right? Okay, in old cars, before they had alternators, they had generators. Snag one of these at a junk yard. It will charge a 12 volt DC battery. I have never done this, I am just theorizing as I type. Anywho, campers use 12 volt DC lighting as a back up. Heck even the fridges run on 12v, propane, NG, or AC. In theory, fabricate blades to this generator, with a voltage regulator and there you go. Actually, here is what I do. I used camping lighting that burns clean fuel and flashlights, but if you simply had an inverter, you could actually run a few things via you car. Another suggestion, a more serious one. Look at the way they make campers so self sufficient. 2 lighting systems, where one runs on AC and the other DC of 12 volt batteries. Not a bad idea for your house? They have there own battery charger, which you could put in your house, that keeps these batteries full whenever you are plugged into AC. Add a 12 volt light system to your storm center, add a camping stove with a small portable tank, vent the area. This stove could cook and serve as a source of heat. Get the fridge that runs on anything, what else do you need? Oh yeah, plans for a wind generator. Dragonfly Wind Generator. That's what you are in need of. Perfect for residential.
788038
Go to Micro soft, type in power toys, and look for Calc plus. it is free!
185600
How to make a simple Van de Graaff Generator\n\nITEMS:\nPlastic Tupperware (microwave oven safe)\nSome wires\nNail\nSmall DC motor \nPiece of PVC pipe (approx. 3.8 cm in diameter)\nBroad rubber band \nWooden skewer\nPlastic bag\nRoll of tape\nSoft drink can\nMineral water bottle\n2 3volt batteries\nBattery holder (optional)\n\nPutting it together:\n1) Cut a hole in the middle of the bottom of the plastic container.\n2) Glue/tape the motor to the lid, making sure the shaft is at the centre of the lid.\n3) Using a hot nail (can be heated at the stove), make two holes near each other for the wires of the motor\n4) Thread the wires through the two holes (the two wires will connect to the batteries)\n5) Cover the container with the lid. (Inverted container in this case)\n6)Make another hole, perpendicular the motor shaft\n7) Thread another wire through(this will be your ground wire) \n8) Make the appropriate measurements for cutting your PVC pipe length and grooves(where the stick will rest)\n9) To make the roller, just stick tape to your stick and go round and round and round.\n10) Place the PCV tube on the lid, perpendicular to the motor. \n11) Thread the stick thru the rubber band and place it in the grooves.\n12) Make sure both rollers are parallel to each other when you thread the bottom of the band to the other "roller"\n13) Cut the top of the soft drink can.\n14) Cut both ends of the mineral water bottle off, making sure that it isn’t shorter than the PVC pipe.\n15) Make a hole near the top of the bottle.\n16) Strip some wire, twist it, and poke it through the hole.\n17) Electrically connect the copper wire to the soft drink can.\n18) Tape everything in place.\n\nWhen you put everything together, you get a crude Van de Graaff generator. Make sure the combs (end of wires) are near the belt and rollers. Make sure that when you run it, the belt doesn't slip off. If it does, make sure both rollers are parallel to each other. Also, try to superglue the motor to the Tupperware lid.\n\nWhen you first run it try taping strips of tissue paper to the can. It should start to rise seconds after the batteries are connected. If this fails, put your finger near one of the tissue strips. The strip should be attracted to your finger.\n\nPlaces with high humidity can be a real problem for electrostatic experiments. Try working in an air conditioned room to help overcome the problem.\n\nThe last two links are the best ones and both include detailed step by step process with pictures.
688125
This is a good question.  Many of the electronic devices today use semi-conductor devices that work at low voltages.  However, that has only been the case since the mid-1960's on average.  Prior to this electronic devices used Vacuum Tubes.  These vacuum tubes used very high voltage DC to cause the flow from an cathode to an anode to flow.\n\nUntil the development of the High Voltage semi-conductor or Silicon Diode most electronics circuits used Vacuum Tube Diodes.  These Diodes would allow for current to flow in only one polarity the same as silicon diodes.\n\nAn intermediate high voltage diode between the vacuum tube diode and the silicon diode was the Selenium Diode.  This diode was the first solid state diode; however, they were not very efficient nor were very effective when high currents were required.  However, today selenium diodes are still in use where size is not an issue.  These diodes generally can work with voltages up to about 2000 VAC and currents as high as 100 amps.\n\nGenerally, most high voltage circuits today use silicon diodes with a high Peak Inverse Voltage (PIC).  On average most cost effective Silicon diodes have a PIV of 600 volts DC.  To increase the voltage that diodes can work you can put them in series, or connected one after then other.  This way you can daisy chain several diodes together to achieve a PIV of up to around (3 in a row) or 1800 volts before the capacitance could be a problem.  This same type of diode works at one amp, if you place them in parallel or side by side you can increase the amount of current your bridge can support.  Again I would not recommend using more then 3 semi-conductor or silicon diodes in parallel, or use for rectifying more 3 Amps of voltage.\n\nTo make your Neon Sign DC voltage converter I would recommend using selenium diodes specifically designed for the high voltage you are talking about.  These diodes and semi-conductor diodes are still available from a number of retail suppliers.  If you would like to try a Vacuum Tube diode, similar to the one used in the high voltage section of a Color TV, Ratheon is the only supplier I can recall that still makes vacuum tube diodes.
46766
DC generator would have a rectifier built in to convert the AC to DC.
438317
What you are doing is building a battery, an acid based battery.  take a lemon, get a strip of copper and a strip of zinc from chemistry class, or use pennies and dimes.  insert the metal stips in opposite sides of the fruit and connect a wire to each strip.  with this you will get about a .5volts, take 2 or three and wire is series and you can light a small flashlight bulb or run a small motor.\n\nsee the following  http://www.hilaroad.com/camp/projects/lemon/lemon_battery.html
88246
If u meant what solution would conduct electricity then any salt solution would do  the trick. If you meant what solution would produce electricity to light a bulb then you need to prepare a dilute solution of sulphuric acid ( be careful! wear gloves! Wear goggles! If you are a kid, do it under supervision of an adult..that means your parents or teacher :-) ) In the acid solution suspend two plates of dis-similar metals ( say zinc and copper) and connect the plates to the bulb( a flash light bulb, 1.5 V) using copper wires..and see it glow.\n\nThere are other ways and more elegant styles..however this is the simplest.
274871
An induction coil liberates only very high voltages- high voltage electricty does not in itself stimulate the emission of any type of radiation. Hoever if you use that high voltage to produce beams of high energy electrons you can start doing damage- A simple x ray generator would consist of a high voltage supply which would accelerate electrons to a high velocity- this electron beam would be further focused by secondary electromagnets and strike a metal target, x rays will be produced at the target as a result of the high velocity electrons striking the target.\nThis is all pretty simple stuff and can be done (with some skill in a home laboratory) My advice however is DONT- you will probably fry yourself!!
719437
I don't know what your interests are, but one experiment that I have done in the past is building an electric motor.  It's easy and does not require a lot of equipment.  I'll include the equipment list below.  If you are interested, send me an email and I will send you a picture of the setup.  That would be easier than explaining it here.\nEquipment required:\n1)Small stable platform, like a wooden board (maybe like 6 inches long and 4 inches wide, and perhaps like 1/2 inch thick).  Maybe a piece of cardboard would work as well.\n2)Magnet (something like 1 inch by 1 inch and 1/2 inch thick)\n3)Copper wire with a small diameter (something you would be able to wrap around your fingers)\n4)6-Volt battery (might be called a lantern battery). The shape of the battery is rectangular and the battery terminals look like little springs at the top of the battery.\n5)Two paper clips\n6)Two thumb tacks