I built your worst High Voltage ideas

Allen Pan

20 Apr 202416:36

Summary

TLDRIn this video, the creator explores the challenge of building a device that can shoot electricity like a sci-fi hand cannon. Initially, he attempts to use a Tesla coil but is disappointed by its performance. Turning to his audience for ideas, he receives a flood of suggestions, some more practical than others. Experimenting with various methods, including a laser, fire, and a Tesla coil with argon gas, he eventually hits upon using a pressurized syringe to shoot a stream of saltwater, which successfully conducts electricity. The video culminates with a dramatic demonstration using a large, high-pressure goo blaster, creating an electrified stream that lights up a fluorescent tube, simulating a lightning bolt. The creator also promotes Open Sauce 2024, an event for showcasing cool projects, and encourages viewers to submit their applications.

Takeaways

🎥 The video is sponsored by Mark Rober's Hack Pack, which offers fun robot kits for learning engineering skills.
🛍️ The host initially sought a high-powered Tesla coil to create a sci-fi inspired lightning cannon but ended up with a lower-powered kit from AliExpress.
🤔 The host experimented with various methods to channel electricity into a target, including using a laser and fire, but faced challenges with practicality and effectiveness.
🔥 Using a laser to create an ionized air channel for guiding electricity was unsuccessful due to the laser's power being far below what was needed.
🧪 The idea of using fire to create a conductive path for electricity showed some promise, but the host realized that the fire itself could be a more effective tool.
⚙️ A pressurized syringe filled with salt water was used to create a conductive stream, which successfully channeled electricity when attached to a Tesla coil.
💧 The host discovered that using a thicker, more viscous fluid like a salt water and xanthan gum mixture improved the continuity and conductivity of the stream.
🚿 Building a larger, high-pressure sprayer that used the viscous mixture resulted in a more stable and effective conductive stream.
🔌 The final setup involved a large Tesla coil and a PVC-framed goo sprayer, creating an impressive display of electrical arcs when activated.
📈 The experiment culminated in a dramatic demonstration using a mannequin as a target, which lit up a fluorescent tube when hit by the electrified goo.
📢 The video concluded with an invitation for viewers to submit their own cool projects for Open Sauce 2024, a convention that combines elements of VidCon and Maker Faire.

Q & A

What is the main subject of the video?
-The main subject of the video is the experiment and exploration of creating a device that can shoot electricity like a sci-fi hand cannon.
What is a quasi-continuous wave dual resonance solid-state Tesla coil?
-A quasi-continuous wave dual resonance solid-state Tesla coil is a type of machine that can generate high-frequency alternating current electricity, which can create impressive electrical effects like lightning bolts.
Why did the creator not find an affiliate link for the Tesla coil?
-The creator did not find an affiliate link for the Tesla coil because it seems that nobody online was selling the specific type of Tesla coil he was looking for, known as 'de nuts'.
What was the issue with the AliExpress Tesla coil kit?
-The issue with the AliExpress Tesla coil kit was that it lacked proper instructions and was of questionable quality, but it still worked as a fun project despite not being able to shoot 6-foot lightning bolts as initially hoped.
What was the purpose of using a laser in the experiment?
-The purpose of using a laser in the experiment was to create an ionized air channel that could potentially guide the electricity, similar to the concept of laser-guided lightning.
Why did the laser not successfully guide the lightning?
-The laser did not successfully guide the lightning because the power of the laser was significantly lower than what was required for the experiment. A terawatt laser, which is a trillion watts, was used in successful experiments, which is 100 billion times stronger than the laser used in the video.
What was the final successful method used to create a conductive path for the electricity?
-The final successful method involved using a pressurized syringe filled with a sticky, viscous mixture of salt water and xanthan gum. This mixture could create a continuous, laminar stream that was able to conduct electricity effectively.
What is the 'hack pack' mentioned in the video?
-The 'hack pack' is a series of robot kits designed for teens and adults, which include step-by-step videos by Mark Rober to help users learn engineering skills while building fun projects.
How did the creator modify the hack pack to fit his experiment?
-The creator modified the hack pack by placing all the electronics into a soda can to protect them from the Tesla coil and attaching a steel string to the dart, which was then taped to a metal donut to conduct electricity.
What was the final outcome of the experiment with the mannequin and the fluorescent tube?
-The final outcome was successful. When the electrified stream hit the mannequin, which was holding a fluorescent tube, the tube lit up, indicating that the electricity had been effectively conducted through the stream to the target.
What event is mentioned at the end of the video that viewers can participate in?
-The event mentioned is 'Open Sauce 2024', which is described as a combination of VidCon and Maker Fair, and is an exhibition where people can submit their own projects for display.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Experimenting with Tesla Coils and DIY Lightning Cannons

The video begins with the host discussing a sponsored segment by Mark Rober's Hack Pack before delving into their fascination with sci-fi hand cannons that shoot lightning. After an unsuccessful search for an 'affiliate link' to such devices, the host resorts to purchasing a Tesla coil kit from AliExpress. Despite the kit's lack of instructions, the host manages to create a handheld version, though it fails to produce the desired 6-foot lightning bolts. The host then explores various ideas sent in by viewers, including a 'lightning yo-yo' and laser-guided lightning, before attempting to use fire and conductive gas to channel electricity. Each experiment is met with varying levels of success, with the conductive gas showing promise but not achieving the desired results.

05:00

🔥 Advancing the Lightning Cannon with Fire and Argon Gas

The host continues their quest to create a functional lightning cannon, testing the use of fire as a conductive medium. They describe how electricity follows the path of the fire but only discharges at the end. Experimenting with a terawatt laser to guide lightning, they realize the need for a much stronger laser than what they have. The host then moves on to using argon gas, hoping its ionization will create a conductive path for the lightning. Although the argon gas experiment appears visually impressive, it does not significantly extend the reach of the lightning. The host theorizes that the turbulence caused by forcefully blowing the conductive air may be hindering the experiment's success.

10:01

💧 Water and Saltwater Streams as Conductive Paths for Electricity

The host's next approach involves using water, specifically saltwater, as a conductive stream for electricity. They repurpose a pressurized syringe from a past project to shoot a thin stream of saltwater, which successfully conducts electricity. The experiment evolves with the creation of a larger, high-pressure sprayer, leading to a more stable and continuous flow of conductive fluid. The host also introduces a viscous mixture of saltwater and xanthan gum, which maintains its continuity more effectively than regular water. This mixture, when combined with a larger Tesla coil, results in a dramatic and successful demonstration of a lightning cannon, electrically charging a mannequin and causing a fluorescent tube to light up.

15:02

🎉 Final Success and Inviting Viewers to Open Sauce 2024

The video concludes with the host achieving a visually stunning result, with the mannequin and fluorescent tube setup providing a clear demonstration of the lightning cannon's power. The host expresses excitement over the success of the project and thanks the viewers for their contributions and ideas. They also promote Open Sauce 2024, an event that combines elements of VidCon and Maker Faire, and encourage viewers to submit their own project applications or buy tickets to attend. The host humorously advises younger viewers to get permission from their parents before subscribing to the channel and ends the video with a triumphant note, playfully claiming to have become a 'real mythbuster'.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tesla Coil

A Tesla Coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit designed by Nikola Tesla in 1891. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. In the video, the creator uses a Tesla Coil to generate lightning-like electrical discharges, which is central to the theme of experimenting with electricity and creating a 'lightning cannon'.

💡Quasi-Continuous Wave

Quasi-Continuous Wave (QCW) refers to a type of electromagnetic wave that is not truly continuous but appears to be so over a certain period. In the context of the video, the creator mentions 'quasi-continuous wave dual resonance solid-state Tesla coils', indicating a specific type of Tesla Coil that can produce a more sustained electrical discharge, which is a key element in the experiments.

💡Laser

A Laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The video discusses using a laser to potentially guide or create an ionized path for electrical discharge, showcasing an innovative approach to the main experiment's objective.

💡Ionized Air Channel

An Ionized Air Channel refers to a path in the air where the molecules have been ionized, or stripped of electrons, making it conductive. In the script, the creator attempts to create such a channel with a laser to guide the electrical discharge from the Tesla Coil, demonstrating the scientific principles behind the experiment.

💡Conductive Gas

Conductive Gas is a gas that can transmit electricity due to the presence of ions or free electrons. The video features an experiment using argon gas, which when ionized near the Tesla Coil, becomes conductive and allows for the transmission of electrical energy, illustrating the practical application of gas conduction in the project.

💡Argon

Argon is a noble gas that is used in various industrial applications, including as a conductive medium in the context of the video. The creator uses a tank of argon gas to ionize and create a conductive path for the electrical discharge, highlighting the properties of argon that make it suitable for this purpose.

💡Salt Water

Salt Water is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts, typically sodium chloride. In the video, the creator uses salt water as a conductive medium to transmit electricity, noting its effectiveness in creating a continuous electrical discharge, which is a significant part of the experiment's success.

💡Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide with a high molecular weight, often used as a thickening agent. The video mentions using xanthan gum to thicken salt water, creating a sticky and viscous substance that maintains a continuous stream, which is crucial for the electrical discharge to travel through.

💡Hack Pack

Hack Pack refers to a series of robot kits designed for building and hacking, as mentioned in the video's sponsorship segment. The kits are aimed at teaching engineering skills and are used as an example of creative and educational projects, tying into the video's theme of innovation and experimentation.

💡Mark Rober

Mark Rober is an engineer and a popular YouTube creator known for his innovative and educational content. In the video, he is mentioned as the sponsor of the video and the creator of the Hack Pack, linking his expertise in engineering and creativity to the video's subject matter.

💡Open Sace

Open Sace is an event mentioned in the video that combines elements of a convention (like VidCon) and a maker fair. It is an opportunity for creators to showcase their projects, which aligns with the video's theme of encouraging innovation and hands-on experimentation in the field of science and engineering.

Highlights

The video is sponsored by Mark Rober's Hack Pack, which provides fun robot kits for teens and adults.

The creator stumbles upon sci-fi hand cannons that shoot real 6-foot long lightning bolts and seeks to replicate this effect.

An attempt is made to build a handheld Tesla coil from an AliExpress kit, despite its questionable instructions and quality.

The audience is asked for ideas on how to create a lightning cannon that can shoot electricity and hit a target.

A variety of unconventional ideas are submitted, including a 'lightning yo-yo' made from a solid metal yo-yo and stainless steel string.

The use of a 10 WT laser in an attempt to create laser-guided lightning is explored, but fails as the laser is not powerful enough.

Experimenting with fire as a conductive medium shows promise, as electricity follows the path of the fire.

Using a pressurized syringe filled with saltwater, a thin stream of conductive fluid is created to channel electricity.

An argon gas tank is used in an attempt to create a conductive gas, but the results are underwhelming due to turbulence.

A large water reservoir with a high-pressure nozzle is constructed to shoot a continuous stream of sticky, conductive goo.

The goo sprayer is connected to a powerful Tesla coil, resulting in a dramatic and visually impressive electrical display.

The final setup includes a mannequin holding a fluorescent tube, which lights up when hit by the electrified goo.

The video concludes with the successful demonstration of a large-scale, electrically conductive goo cannon.

The creator expresses excitement about being a 'real mythbuster' and thanks the audience for their contributions and ideas.

An invitation is extended for viewers to submit their own project ideas for Open Sauce 2024, a convention for innovative projects.

The video ends with a humorous reminder for young viewers to get parental permission before subscribing to the channel.