Van de Graaff generator

I built this generator many years ago.
The globe is a 23 cm.white glass lamp shade, covered with rubber cement and segments of aluminium kitchen foil. Unused for many years, the synthetic rubber band had perished. After some experiments I found a substitute rubber band that, in combination with the existing black polystyrol rotor, can generate a fat inch-long spark and charge up a paper tassle (see photo). It is driven by a modest induction motor (with original price tag: 1,50 DM.) The minus terminal of the generator is connected to earth.

My hope is to use the globe to calibrate an electrostatic meter that I will use to measure the atmospheric static on a vertical radio antenna suspended from a kite - (yes, I shall observe all safety precautions including an adequate bleed resistance to ground.)

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