09-30-2010, 02:39 PM
Sumpter250 Wrote:One Question: Just how much distance can exist between the sheet metal, and the "glue", before the static attraction is broken ? ( in the case of polystyrene foam scenery base ) Where I use expanded aluminum "gutter screen" as a scenery base, maybe the sheet metal wouldn't be necessary, just clip to the screen.
Will do some experimenting Friday night to see. In my head, I am thinking that since the blue foam has a propensity for static electricity anyway, it may work as one side of the capacitance without a large spot of wet glue acting as a conductor. I'll put some glue drops onto the blue foam and then stick the probe in the dry foam and try it.
On a technical note, my GrassBlaster uses a 120 volt AC input on the ion generator. It has a common connection between one side of the 120 volt input and one side of the 7500 volt output. Because the neutral in our electrical service panel is connected to the earth, that means the entire earth is acting as one side of the capacitance already. Essentially, one side of the 7500 volt output is already connected to "ground" - the earth, and all piping and conduits and panel cans and concrete slabs, on and on. Just because some of these items are not good conductors does not mean that they cannot participate in building up an electrostatic charge.
The ion generators with the 12 volt DC input have a high voltage output which is isolated from ground. The wiring is a bit different than with the 120 volt model, and certainly the 120 volt model could be more hazardous because it is important to make sure that the neutral of the 120 volt receptacle used as the power source is wired correctly... don't want the "hot" and "neutral" switched, because then your "static probe" from the Blaster would be at 120 volts, and exposed to routine handling by the would-be scenery expert.
If anyone wants wiring diagrams or a deepre explanation, let me know.
Three Foot Rule In Effect At All Times