Here’s an old 5,000 volt laboratory power supply. Let’s see what vintage tech lurks inside.
0:00 Index
0:10 Introduction: a Griffin 5kV EHT supply
0:37 A tour of the outside, top and bottom
1:41 How old is it?
2:02 What’s inside? Some big ol’ capacitors!
3:37 Is that really enough creepage distance?
4:18 Diode and resistor board
5:30 Voltage selectors and transformers
6:39 Cable changed, switch fixed
7:08 Testing, will it go or will it go bang?
These seem to be a very common style of component on Aliexpress and sometimes on eBay too.
It’s a spark ignitor for gas that could be used for cooker, ovens or other applications. Unlike oil igniters or larger scale gas units, it doesn’t have a continuous hot spark, but just pulses low current sparks continuously until the gas/air ratio hits the sweet spot and ignition occurs.
The design is gloriously simple due to the use of a specialist component designed almost exclusively for generating high current pulses used to drive the transformer assembly.
The format of these varies. This one appears to have three separate high voltage secondaries, which raises the intriguing possibility of wiring them in series for a single higher voltage spark.
Other versions have a common ground connection and several outputs referenced to that.
If desired, the PCB could be removed for driving your own custom transformer or pulse coil. Or alternatively you could take inspiration from its design for your own PCB design. It’s a classic circuit.
Everyone loves to play with electricity and plasma, and [Hyperspace Pirate] is no exception. Inspired by a couple of 40×20 N52 neodymium magnets he had kicking around, he decided to put together a hand-cranked generator and use it to generate plasma with. Because that’s the kind of fun afternoon projects that enrich our lives, and who doesn’t want some Premium Fire™ to enrich their lives?
The generator itself is mostly 3D printed, with the magnets producing current in eight copper coils as they spin past. Courtesy of the 4.5:1 gear on the crank side, it actually spins at over 1,000 RPM with fairly low effort when unloaded, albeit due to the omission of iron cores in the coils. This due to otherwise the very strong magnets likely cogging the generator to the point where starting to turn it by hand would become practically impossible.
Despite this, the generator produces over a kilovolt with the 14,700 turns of 38 AWG copper wire, which is enough for the voltage multiplier and electrodes in the vacuum chamber, which were laid out as follows:
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12 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Griffin 5kV power supply teardown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_9XssHfgwc
Here’s an old 5,000 volt laboratory power supply. Let’s see what vintage tech lurks inside.
0:00 Index
0:10 Introduction: a Griffin 5kV EHT supply
0:37 A tour of the outside, top and bottom
1:41 How old is it?
2:02 What’s inside? Some big ol’ capacitors!
3:37 Is that really enough creepage distance?
4:18 Diode and resistor board
5:30 Voltage selectors and transformers
6:39 Cable changed, switch fixed
7:08 Testing, will it go or will it go bang?
They don’t make ‘em like that anymore!
Tomi Engdahl says:
What’s inside a Stun Gun (Power 200)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdxurdOOBPE
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/03/03/remoticon-2021-jay-bowles-takes-a-dip-into-the-plasmaverse/
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Is St. Elmo’s Fire And Why Is It Seen As Both A Good And Bad Omen?
This plasma phenomenon is a fascinating feature of the atmosphere with a history as both a blessing and a portend.
https://www.iflscience.com/what-is-st-elmos-fire-and-why-is-it-seen-as-both-a-good-and-bad-omen-64633
Tomi Engdahl says:
car parts can be used to make this??
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h9xGlQ4sDNo
Tomi Engdahl says:
High voltage igniter teardown with schematic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXUiXYkP9_E
These seem to be a very common style of component on Aliexpress and sometimes on eBay too.
It’s a spark ignitor for gas that could be used for cooker, ovens or other applications. Unlike oil igniters or larger scale gas units, it doesn’t have a continuous hot spark, but just pulses low current sparks continuously until the gas/air ratio hits the sweet spot and ignition occurs.
The design is gloriously simple due to the use of a specialist component designed almost exclusively for generating high current pulses used to drive the transformer assembly.
The format of these varies. This one appears to have three separate high voltage secondaries, which raises the intriguing possibility of wiring them in series for a single higher voltage spark.
Other versions have a common ground connection and several outputs referenced to that.
If desired, the PCB could be removed for driving your own custom transformer or pulse coil. Or alternatively you could take inspiration from its design for your own PCB design. It’s a classic circuit.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Plasma piano sounds UNREAL (I GOT SHOCKED)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8WXvDLofL8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Busting Wireless ESD Wrist Straps With LTT And ElectroBOOM
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/10/busting-wireless-esd-wrist-straps-with-ltt-and-electroboom/
Tomi Engdahl says:
high voltage and magnetic field relationship #shorts #zaferyildiz #short #electronics#viral
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/r-IWkQbyhpk
Tomi Engdahl says:
High voltage art
https://youtu.be/GLUg3xZKDn4
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/11/24/flyback-done-right/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Generating Plasma With A Hand-Cranked Generator
https://hackaday.com/2025/06/10/generating-plasma-with-a-hand-cranked-generator/
Everyone loves to play with electricity and plasma, and [Hyperspace Pirate] is no exception. Inspired by a couple of 40×20 N52 neodymium magnets he had kicking around, he decided to put together a hand-cranked generator and use it to generate plasma with. Because that’s the kind of fun afternoon projects that enrich our lives, and who doesn’t want some Premium Fire™ to enrich their lives?
The generator itself is mostly 3D printed, with the magnets producing current in eight copper coils as they spin past. Courtesy of the 4.5:1 gear on the crank side, it actually spins at over 1,000 RPM with fairly low effort when unloaded, albeit due to the omission of iron cores in the coils. This due to otherwise the very strong magnets likely cogging the generator to the point where starting to turn it by hand would become practically impossible.
Despite this, the generator produces over a kilovolt with the 14,700 turns of 38 AWG copper wire, which is enough for the voltage multiplier and electrodes in the vacuum chamber, which were laid out as follows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLX_pQbSFFg