Building A Nuclear Star In A Jar (Fusor)

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Central to all life on Earth, is the burning fusion ball we call the sun. Fusion requires such specific conditions, that science is only now making true progress toward unlimited energy. This Farnsworth fusor inspired me, so I hope this video inspires you to look at fusion as our ultimate power source.
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@integza
Thank you to Chris, and to Will from London for his assistance!
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#experiment #fusion #future

[@PlasmaChannel]

I forgot to mention in the video, that my take on a fusor was partly inspired by Will From London's fusor! kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4eyc55jftN_ZpI. Thanks for your assistance, Will. Also, dont attempt a fusor unless you have some shred of what you're doing, they can be dangerous.

[@marz.6102]

Why aren't fusion reactors tested in smaller models? I mean what if the mega project don't work to make lots of energy to the grid?

[@TinusBruins]

@@marz.6102 As far I know, it's not small ones that are the problem. It's scaling it up to a size that it can complete with other powerplant types and still function as intended.

[@PauloDutra]

That hose is probably outgasing a lot....

[@marz.6102]

@@TinusBruins then would it be possible to make smaller models of the reactors, kinda like how engineers used to make small models of their plane designs so that it can be testing in a small smoke tunnel it see if the aerodynamics are in check? (I forgot what the tunnel was called but it had some sort of smoke poured into a wind tunnel to see if the plane would create more drag or something)

[@nonoDIY]

As always, great video! Check also "Toroidal plasma" on KZbin not a fussion but also interesting.

[@thethoughtemporium]

Hey heads up, that reactor is probably not safe for fusion. The big acrylic windows could melt in the electron beams that form and the plasma heating them up. Also the aluminum frame and acrylic windows are transparent to xrays so it needs to be fully encased with shielding or it'll spew xrays like crazy. And you need neutron shielding as well. And even the backscatter can be very very dangerous. It's a grogeous demo build for sure though. One of the nicest I've seen honestly. But please don't try running that at fusion temps. Also there are a host of different laws around building these and many places require a license of some flavor or another. It's easier in the US, but varies state to state and can still have issues if you're not careful and you'll be posting the video as evidence of you doing it... so better safe than sorry. I know this because I almost built a working fusor on my channel recently but stopped when I learned about the license and 100K fine for not having it. So I paused the project until I could sort that out and get the license in advance. If you wanna chat about this I've been at it for years and might have some tips. Hit me up. There's a ton of amazing things that can be done with this if you get reasonable neutron outputs.

[@gameingking8971]

Man I used to watch you all the time , are you coming back anytime soon?

[@RMX7777]

This needs to be pinned so everyone can see it. Not to put plasma channel down but he really dove into this project without researching thoroughly. Fusion can certainly be done at home, but it's not something you just throw together out of craft supplies.

[@putinscat1208]

For small amounts of fusion, it would be OK. But plasma constantly generates braking radiation. So those big plastic windows are a problem. D - D fusion is possible by slamming deuterium into a deuterium target. This was shown in the 1930s. You can't get more energy than you put in, but they made He-3 in the process. I'd love to see someone make a plasma and then slam it into something.

[@innovationsforall]

Hope it is not too late!

[@MaxfieldTwo]

@@RMX7777….did you guys actually watch the whole video?

[@andrewrobison581]

nothing shines brighter than being passionate about what you do. youre paving the way

[@josephgauthier5018]

That and stars dying in a supernova

[@PlasmaChannel]

@@josephgauthier5018 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@josephgauthier5018]

@@PlasmaChannel glad to see I got a chuckle out of someone! 😀 Also, I'm really looking forward to see the next video in this series!

[@eternallife7676]

Thanks. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen… cool channel

[@PlasmaChannel]

@@josephgauthier5018 I'm looking forward to more comedy gold from you, as well. That comment was priceless and i'll be sharing it with all my subs soon.

[@cberge8]

The vinyl tuning between the pump and your chamber was probably a big factor in why you couldn't reach a higher vacuum. Vinyl tubing tends to off gas way too much under vacuum to get down to the levels you're looking for.

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thanks for the input - I'm definitely seeing that the tubing now was the biggest issue!

[@sinpwnzorz]

@@PlasmaChannel I came to the comments to see if this had been posted / acknowledged. A recent project of mine determined the tubing to be a major weakness as well. Glad it's noted :)

[@cmsgtluna]

@@PlasmaChannel use two hose clamps on the tubing for a tighter seal. Or better yet hard pipe the vacuum hose using 1/4” copper tubing

[@bradherbert9414]

I do refrigeration, not fusion, but I do know there are refrigerant hoses that are rated for vacuum and ones that aren't. Both are way more robust than that silicone.

[@nikushim6665]

Tubing is only one of many issues, those HVAC pumps wont get anywhere near low enough. You would need to switch over to a diffusion or turbo pump. And any part that could potentially off-gas under super low vacuum would have to go, including the acrylic. Also should note that a Typical Farnsworth-Hirsch Fusor is fed with d2 gas.

[@Doribi117]

Fusors have been an obsession of mine ever since I learned about them, thank you for building one, and now I am tempted to try my hand at one myself.

[@vamshitarun4399]

this is probably one of the most optimistic and inspiring ones you've done yet. loved your work man, thank you.

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thank you. I’m no hippie, but fusion is our Hail Mary.

[@rapperbabu1922]

Hii I am from India. I know you forget who I am. but I am your oldest subscriber and small brother approx 4 years ago.i replying you after 1 year because of I am in hostel and I have no mobile. but now I want to talk with you. are you agree with me to talk

[@rapperbabu1922]

sorry but I am not interested to talk with you

[@rapperbabu1922]

i want to talk with jai and he see my comment he never say no ok brother

[@hi-dt4od]

Yes, inspiring :)

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Awesome work Jay, that's one heck of a sight! Have you considered tritium breeding to get your tritium? If you throw a small amount of lithium into your reactor while it is running off of deuterium, any neutrons that are produced from fusion will be absorbed by one of lithium's isotopes, resulting in transmutation into tritium, which will exponentially boost fusion rates!

[@vylbird8014]

Yes, that could work - but on a fuser like this, the rate of tritium production would be so tiny it would be a serious challenge to even detect any.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

@@vylbird8014 True, although if he wants tritium, that's one of the only good ways to get it. Other than the trace amounts used in glowing watches and some exit signs, there's no other legal way to obtain tritium!

[@PlasmaChannel]

Great idea! So, Chris actually talked to me about it, I cut that out of the interview. I may make a video doing so.

[@vylbird8014]

@@LabCoatz_Science Who would have guessed that the isotope used to manufacture thermonuclear weapons would be hard to legally obtain?

[@CharlieSolis]

@@vylbird8014 🤭 Me: “awe c’mon, but…” The Govt: “No.”

[@lumpybaconface4649]

I love when a creator actively interacts with his community and gets community members to help out

[@OfficiallySnek]

Well now we know who stole Cleo Abram's fusion reactor parts

[@rednicstone3299]

I thought id just mention this here real quick for anyone attempting a simmilar experiment. A fusor emits strong gamma radiation due to bremstrahlung caused by the decelerating electrons & gas ions. Standing next to an operating fusor for extended periods of time is significantly more dangerous than any x-ray scan or anything the like. I recommend using lead plates to protect youself as well as keeping one geiger counter, preferably scintillation based, on your person as well as one with the fusor.

[@PlasmaChannel]

This is good info

[@rednicstone3299]

@@PlasmaChannel I've built my own fusor a while back (also inspired by Will from London) and I was shocked to see the ammount of radiation generated by the device. Granted, I did run it at a higher voltage (200kV). But as with all radiation sources, exposure time is key here. Running this for a few minutes will not harm you significantly, however I dont recommended using it as a night light 😉

[@rydude998]

then why didnt his detector indicate any radiation production?

[@beelzebub3920]

@@rydude998 because its not fusing anything as of right now (theres no deuterium or tritium to fuse)

[@rydude998]

@@beelzebub3920 That isn't what the OP of this thread said though. They and the first response claim just running this device generates significant amounts of harmful radiation yet his meter showed nothing.

[@RTL_CSQ]

Amazing work! A few tips: Helium from a balloon filling tank is usually 5% N2, which is probably why the plasma color was a bit off. At these pressures and temperatures you'll have to start worrying about outgassing, so you may want to ditch the vinyl tubing and acrylic plates (heresy, I know) for thick glass. Putting JB weld on the outside of leaky fittings and using barbed connectors can trap small amounts of air and slowly release them into the chamber. You won't notice the pressure changing much because the pump is balancing the very small leaks, but it can ruin the purity of the deuterium gas needed for fusion. I prefer fittings with an o-ring like KF fittings, but they can be pricey.

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thanks Nicholas - yeah my helium tank was actually 10% oxygen, so that also complicates the matter further! Good notes on the use of tubing too.

[@WaffleStaffel]

@@PlasmaChannel The bigger pump is probably compensating for the tubing and other sources of leaks/outgassing, but I'd definitely switch to a better tubing. HVAC people use special large diameter multi-layer hoses ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGnNaWiIbt2pg68) to get down to 500-100 microns. Also, the needle on your gauge can go down to the stop and you can still have 20,000 microns. You really need a thermocouple micron gauge to determine that. Keeping fresh oil in the pump is essential for good vacuum. HVAC people change the oil in their pump every 2-3 uses to get a deep vacuum. I'd also switch to loctite and dielectric/vacuum grease, and even dismantle the ball valve and smear grease on all the seals and surfaces (I did just this thing a few days ago). But again, that giant pump running continuously is going to compensate for a lot of that, especially with such a small evacuated volume. Awesome video, can't wait for the next one!

[@NTLMBigBench]

I like your funny words, magic man!

[@Mister_Brown]

@@JohnWhite-hx8fj he should really just get a proper hvac gauge and manifold set, they can be had cheaply and the hvac flare connections are cheap too

[@RMX7777]

@@WaffleStaffel to add to this, unfortunately the pump he has likely isn't going to cut it. You might get fusion to occur under 30 microns, but you really should be looking to keep it under 10 microns if you want to have good results. The vacuum reading on your pump should be ignored. The pump is reading the vacuum level at its inlet, but there can easily be over a 1000 micron difference between the inlet of a pump and the actual reaction chamber. The only way to know for sure is to install a thermocouple gauge directly to the reaction chamber. I would recommend using one of fieldpiece's products like the svg3. I don't want this to come off as negative, I would love to see you succeed in your project.

[@seankelly1291]

I'm really amazed that this was your first forray into vacuums. That was a surprise to me. Thank you for mentioning those tips and your learning process on the leaky bits.

[@chrisw3834]

I certainly would like to see the continuation of this build, so freaking cool. I'd love to learn to build stuff like this.

[@justinbanks2380]

I love reading Plasma Channel comments. One of the few channels with comments that are not garbage. Which is a feat in and of itself. But not only that, they are insightful and you learn things. I love this community

[@CharlieSolis]

This^ ❤️

[@PlasmaChannel]

It's always been my goal to have Plasma Channel be a one stop shop for all experimenters around the world. To bring all of us together into one group.

[@justinbanks2380]

@@PlasmaChannel well, you're #WINNING 😆

[@SadCatStudio.]

@@PlasmaChannel is there any way to simplify this so that i can make this? as an lazy unemployed 13 YO that actively makes explosives in his room i have absolutely zero funds, but i do have access to high voltage (alieexpress taser modules), so is there any way to cheap out? i want to prove my science teacher wrong, he said i wont be able to create as much energy, and that fission is more relevant WHILE THATS CLEARLY SSOOOO 1980! *ahem, but, is it possible? pls let me know.

[@vincentwu2848]

Wow this is ridiculously awesome! I've marveled at quite a few fusors like this that other people have built but your version looks the most ready to be a showpiece. 95% of this stuff is over my head, but the one very minor thing I thought you might be interested in knowing is that when applying PTFE tape generally you want to wrap the tape clockwise (to match the direction that you will rotate the pipe/fitting). Also, for gas/vacuum applications I believe the standard is 4 wraps of the yellow gas PTFE tape so I think you would need 8 wraps of the white tape. I'm quite surprised you were able to get away without using hose clamps on the barbed fittings too!

[@zobrombie3023]

High vacuums can be super annoying to achieve, I'm glad to see that you got yours sorted. Awesome project!

[@guytech7310]

I've built a working Fusor: 1. A PVC hose is not practical for a low vacuum system as it will outgas preventing you from getting down to a very low pressure. 2. If your vacuum pressure is low enough you still generate x-rays which should be detectable by a gieger. I suspect your pressure is no where low enough. 3. You really need a better vacuum gauge, one that is designed for sub micron pressures. 4. you really need a much larger diameter vacuum connection. At least a half inch, and keep the connection between the pump and the fusor as short as possible. ie put the fusor on top of the pump so its just a few inches away. At low pressure the pump will struggle to get air out of the fusor's vaccuum chamber. bigger diameter piping will help. Ideally make it all metal piping to avoid outgassing from plastic. Copper tubing with compression fittings is a better option than plastic tubing. 5. I think you likely to suffer a voltage drop with the large electrode. the more current flows it will drop the voltage well below the 40KV. You probably running less than 10KV, which is also why you don't measure any x-ray radiation. Very low vacuum pressure + smaller electrode will reduce your voltage drop. 6. Your plexiglass\lexsan windows will outgas a lot, likely preventing you from getting very low pressures. Ideally I would replace them with glass and mount the electrode through the stainless metal frame. You need some sort of HV vacuum fitting. You might be able to get by with a spark plug, but thats iffy at +40KV as it likely to arc over since there isn't much distance between the electrode and the metal frame on the inside side. You might be able to weld on some wire to the spark and pass it through some glass tubing with some vacuum grease and some teflon tape. Teflon is a great insulator & does not outgass. Alternatively you can buy a HV electrical vacuum pass through from or Kurt J Lesker (company). "LDS vacuum shopper" also sells vacuum components at a lower cost than Lesker. FWIW: You best way to get an operational fusor is to go with commerical vacuum components, specifically conflat vacuum components and metal (copper gaskets). You could buy a Conflat Tee with one port for the vacuum pump, one for the HV feedthrough and the other for the window. The big cost is going to be a HV feed through as a 60KV feedthrough will cost about $2k. Maybe you can get lucky with a 60kV feedthrough on ebay (ie used) to save some money. The biggest issue making a working a working fusor is the cost of components or the time collecting used components on eBay at a reasonable cost. I probably spent over $10K in components to make a working fusor & also did a lot of self fabrication (ie machining & welding Stainless Steel parts for the vacuum chamber and welding on conflat flanges), $3K+ on a turbo molecular pump and a high volume low submicron mechanical pump $1K. I think I spent about $1500 on the 60Kv high voltage feedthrough (purchase about 20 years ago), vacuum bellow hoses, oil backstreaming trap. As well as assortment of radiation measurement tools: BF3 & He3 tube to detect neutrons, NaI Scintillation detectors. Building a working fusor isn't easy nor cheap.

[@sum_rye_hash_321]

That's amazing! I've wanted to make a star in a jar since I first saw one. However the type I saw first was a bubble suspended in the middle of some liquid, using sonoluminescence to generate the heat/light/plasma by rapidly compressing the bubble.

[@rando5673]

Thanks for the new rabbithole of research to blow my entire weekend going through 👍

[@michaelwynne2801]

It’s been fantastic watching you go from 700 subscribers when I first found you, to heading towards 500,000 subscribers a few years down the track! Awesome work Jay. Don’t change the format that has made you a huge success. Kudos brother 🤙

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thanks so much for being with me this long. I have lots of cool videos coming down the pipeline, and am really excited to be doing this full time now!

[@michaelwynne2801]

@@PlasmaChannel Awesome Jay, You are definitely kicking goals. Well done mate. Mike AU

[@Three8700]

This is excellent! looking forward to part 2

[@mikeclarke952]

New sub here. Good build. Outgassing is a big problem in high vacuum systems. In your case you might want to pump down overnight and then infuse hydrogen for several hours before infusing the deuterium. I hope those are glass windows and not acrylic they will outgas like crazy. I had an implosion guard around my bell jar vacuum chamber at university, would never turn on the pump without it.

[@kenshiromilesvt.7037]

This is beautiful. I've been obsessed with fusors and your looks just like how I dreamed of building one. I want to build one that looks like an arc reactor some day May need a beefier lead vest though....

[@rickclapp6560]

Awesome! Love it! I was a big Tesla Coil fan growing up in the 70's. I donated mine to my high school electronics teacher. I miss having fun with it but it was too big for my duplex. Really enjoying your projects and builds.

[@sanchitkamat]

I’m going to be a college student next year and your builds get me excited for it every second !

[@CharlieSolis]

Awesome video! I love to see the progress on this project!

[@testuser571]

Absolutely awesome build! I've a half-finished, really ugly one somewhere in storage from a couple of years ago, never got the whole system working. May have to revisit that sometime... VERY excited to see what happens when you put some deuterium or tritium in!

[@soscilogical1904]

respect for the visual quality of the studio and equipment and editing.

[@arthurlondero7036]

This channel is insanely awesome, it will definitely become part of my routine to follow your videos, thanks KZbin for this decent recommendation

[@PlasmaChannel]

Hey, thanks for taking the time to drop a comment Arthur! Honored you enjoyed my content.

[@CrazyNerdInventor]

Hey Jay, I just finished building a 100 kv voltage multiplyer and I'm so freaking happy with it! I owe you a big thank you for opening the door for me and giving me the confidence to take a leap into high voltage physics. (I uploaded it to my channel if you are curious to see it)

[@austindibble15]

Beautiful build! Excited to see this one. I like that you added a bit about the challenges you faced with the vacuum, it's good to see how the build is an iterative process. I'm looking forward to the next part when you add the deuterium. Also, side note, I like the addition of the aerial B-roll between scenes. Did you film it with your own drone?

[@sgt.scorpio9922]

I appreciate the work and the experiences you share

[@thetransformer6780]

This is so cool, and the last thruster build. Love this channel, good work man!

[@KenKlondike]

long time ago, I built a cesium cube. It was a clear sealed and vacuumed tank with cesium heated with an internal element. When two lasers were intersected inside the tank it gave off a glow from the photons being released (an easy form of fusion)

[@izzieb]

The sun might be one, but you're our star. Love the videos!

[@scrimmo]

Oh god….

[@justinw1765]

@@scrimmo The god Ra? ; ) But yeah, I agree with your sentiment. A little too much pedestal for my taste.

[@AllAmericanBeaner68]

I've seen others use a cheap pump as a roughing pump and an oil diffusion pump to pull the extra vacuum needed. Nice build btw!

[@Grimpurple_minion99]

Dude your channel is awesome. I left a comment on your Ionic thruster video I found that absolutely fascinating.

[@Kepler_2258]

that helium lit up really beautifully, i might have to build me one lol, i might make it sealed off after pulling a vacuum on helium that way it acts as a discharge lamp, helium is one of my favorite gas discharge elements for its huge color range from pale-pink to my favorite pale-yellow color

[@Ripen3]

Couldn't he have turned it on with atmospheric pressure of helium to make it glow even brighter? I thought that would create a lamp.

[@Kepler_2258]

@@Ripen3 no at higher atmospheric pressure the helium wouldn't illuminate, i don't want a lamp like a streetlight i want just a glowing desk decoration, although i couldn't have it on for long due to the heat being made by the plasma, it could melt things, although i could use quartz glass tubing because that can stand a good bit of heat

[@mernokallat645]

@@Kepler_2258 Qouartz glass doesnt block UV-C, look it through glasses.

[@Kepler_2258]

@@mernokallat645 yes but normal glass might get damaged from the heat, usually gas discharge lamps use quartz glass tubes

[@mernokallat645]

@@Kepler_2258 True. I'n not sure how hot a fusor gets, I never had the luck to build one yet. The exception is the high pressure sodium lamp, which uses aluminum oxide instead of quartz glass.The reaction with sodium is slower. Low pressure sodium lamps also use borosilicate glass.

[@coolnegative]

Jay! You are over 400k subs! That is Awesome! So stoked for you. So proud that I found you much earlier. You rock, and your channel rocks! Thanx for sciencing the crap out of stuff!

[@PlasmaChannel]

Coolnegative, you’ve been with me for a long time! Thanks for being so loyal, and yeah, here’s to 500k subs next! I plan to do a live AMA when I hit that mark. So maybe in 4 months?

[@randomname4726]

@@PlasmaChannel This comment really surprised me as your channel and content are so professional that I felt like you had way more than that. I'm sure you will get well over a million in time.

[@coolnegative]

@@randomname4726 agree 100%

[@mikekafei]

I love that you used neon acrylic. Definitely the move

[@omega_jay4355]

Love your channel man, inspired me to start learning about electronic components and such and now I can't stoppp

[@Green__Man]

Damn this is the coolest thing I've seen in a while 🔥 keep it up Jay you're changing the world

[@PlasmaChannel]

Ah thanks GreenMan, I appreciate that.

[@danadeline]

You've inspired me to pick up my science textbooks again and get back to my wild inventions. Thanks and keep on innovating ☯️

[@PlasmaChannel]

Always remember daniel - science does not happen in the classroom. It does not happen in a book. It happens in the mind. And the human mind is an invincible act of power. You have within you the ability to think up idea which can change, everything. Best of luck getting back into your scientific process!

[@danadeline]

@@PlasmaChannel I'll meet you in the stars

[@bogosbinted5432]

@@PlasmaChannel I don’t mean to be a bother to you but from what I gathered from your video (great btw) is that this would not emit any radiation from it and would be “Safe” if another hobbyist were to attempt to build a similar one.

[@vahannema]

@@bogosbinted5432 Right at the end he did mention that it's likely because he's not using any deuterium/tritium in these tests, just regular atmosphere and then helium. 13:27

[@bogosbinted5432]

@@vahannema alright, that’s what I assumed, just wanted to be sure not to irradiate myself

[@jasonmoore6868]

I wish I could post pictures here. I work in ion nitriding within vacuum chambers using the same concept your building here. We run at about 750 volts and use N2 and H2 gas primarily. The purple glow from the ionized gasses is something to see. Great work.

[@petitkus4408]

I wanted to thank personally Chris. Thank you Man you da realMVP

[@Alta-Moon]

Awesome build! I love how you showed your troubleshooting process and how you fixed the issues. Now that everything is set up, I’m excited to see you do fusion in the next video. Although I imagine that deuterium and tritium are not cheap or easy to come by. 😅

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thank you! Yeah, i'll be processing my own Deuterium gas (will be making a video about it too)

[@andrewparker318]

Holy cow finally a widely respected KZbinr built one of these! Do you know how many people are utterly convinced that fusors are fake, and how many arguments I have gotten into with people trying to convince them that these things are real. Now that a large science channel like plasma channel has built one, people can finally stop calling me crazy for saying these are real

[@PlasmaChannel]

I'm honored to have had VIEWERS, like yourself, give me the idea for the Fusor in the first place. Over the past 6 years, I've had dozens of people request I do a fusor build. Granted, dozens of requests over 6 years amounts to nothing (For a normal topic, its dozens of requests a month). Nonetheless, I would have never attempted this, if it were not for informative people such as yourself. When I first heard about it, I kind of thought it was fake too. Funny how having an open mind changes things! Thanks for being a part of my Plasma Channel family, Andrew.

[@justinw1765]

Why would they think they are fake? The trick is not so much to build a fusor or any kind of fusion reaction, but more so figuring out how to get more energy out of the system than the energy you are putting in. Because until you figure that out, it is just cool and a pretty light show and all, and doesn't have much practical value (besides maybe inspiring a young, brilliant mind to become interested in plasma, fusion, and figuring out the more simple solutions to this issue).

[@RMX7777]

@@justinw1765 People think they are fake because most of the examples they come across online are nothing more than models. Real fusors are quite difficult to build and require ultra high vacuum equipment to work properly. Real fusors pull vacuum down to at least 1X10^-5 torr before introducing deuterium, as any air impurity will make fusion pretty much impossible. They also need to be made of steel, If you make it out of glass it will just act like an x-ray tube, irradiating everything around it.

[@wideawaketotruth5301]

Thank you for the video. Extremely well done.

[@TheBackroomsExplorer-TLD]

Thanks for the tutorial!

[@empmachine]

Wonderful job! It's beautiful ! Also: when you tape, don't use soo much, and avoid the tip-ends.. Tape near the ends can get worked off over time and then sucked into your pump :(

[@SolarSeeker45]

I had the same problem trying to re-evacuate a dewar. It turns out the smaller pump is probably fine, it's your hose which is probably your primary problem. Rubber of any kind is leaky especially the clear rubber like that. If you want to be able to get to high vacuum all hoses and connections MUST be made of metal, preferably with compression fittings or even better braised together. HVAC air conditioning equipment is designed to be vacuum tight but the rubber hoses still leak somewhat.

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thanks for this info. Yeah…. I do wonder if it was the hose…

[@justinw1765]

I've heard that next to metal, teflon hoses are the next best. One of the few plastic type materials that doesn't off gas much nor have much gas permeation through it.

[@exafrost]

@@PlasmaChannel Yeah... The first thing I thought was, as you were connecting the clear rubber (silicon? PVC?) hose was, "Uhmmm... nope... that will collapse long before it can reach the vacuum you are looking for". Think... McDonalds triple thick shakes and the flimsy plastic straw they used to provide for us to herniate ourselves with.

[@metatts]

What an awesome channel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!

[@micaharisa4000]

Great build,I love your work it keeps me motivated

[@recramorcenlemniscate7945]

Very well done. You could have compensated for the weaker vacuum with higher voltage(100kV). But a bigger pump works too. You're gonna need a bubble neutron detector for fusion & actually showcase fusion not just dense ionization. Tritium is regulated (radioactive) so I'm curious how you're getting it lol. It's not as easy as deuterium to extract.

[@poloska9471]

Can tritium be obtained via stuff like smoke detectors or other rare-ish places around semi-household items? I could totally also see him taking this setup to his buddy’s lab or some other lab in the US to do the shoot and they will add the tritium/deuterium 🤷‍♂️

[@recramorcenlemniscate7945]

@@poloska9471 yes you can, but the volume he'd need in gas form would be substantial so he'll be at it awhile. Deuterium can be obtained from the electrolysis of heavy water, while tritium is a byproduct of lithium deuteride decay. Which is a powder not a metal; but he could make it into a paste & coat the interior to maybe have some returns off the neutrons. But I think large quantities of tritium specifically is a lot harder.

[@RMX7777]

Higher voltage usually fails in weaker vacuums, as the increase in ion density allows the electrodes to arc over.

[@Steve.Garrison]

Great video! Suggestion - connect your vacuum gauge directly to the pump with as few connections as possible to see how much vacuum pressure the pump is capable of. If it is stronger then you have a leak somewhere else in your plumbing.

[@lukethelegend8241]

i love these types of videos, I think plasma is so cool!

[@redbearworkshop3219]

Just amazing. I have a feeling that is gonna be some youtuber or someone in their garage to get closer to a bigger sun in a jar like that.

[@andrewhamop6665]

Absolutely beautiful Jay, wish I could build one but I'd probably die... So I'll leave the HV to you, Styropyro, and ElectroBoom. Lol

[@randomname4726]

Don't forget NightHawkInLight!

[@martinfyhn1976]

I'll be really impressed if you can get a hold of tritium, as it's incredibly rare and expensive (it has a really short half-life), but deuterium should be enough, if you want to make fusion. But it's a really good-looking build! 😁 As you've undoubtedly found out by now, to achieve a high vacuum, how much materials outgas, is really important, which apparently is one of many reasons that JB-weld is such a good seal (I have no access to the stuff). Acrylics outgas a fair bit, which is why it's not ideal. Glass is the way to go. HDPE (high density polyethylene) is surprisingly easy to get, and doesn't outgas very much (as in - I get so far down in my primarily HDPE and glass vacuum-chamber, that my electron gun stops working. HDPE hoses are also readily available everywhere. I *am* using a few silicone seals, which I can tell when I switch off my pumps, and leave my chamber at a vacuum. When you have something that outgasses, interestingly, you can see the pressure rise, over a few days, to a specific point, where it then stabilizes, and from that, it's pretty obvious that silicone outgas quite a lot (if it continues to drop, there's a leak, but that's usually obvious within minutes).

[@erikkarsies4851]

Are you even allowed to trade Tritium without an enormous amount of paperwork and a high security clearance? It's an radioactive isotope and used for H bombs?

[@martinfyhn1976]

@@erikkarsies4851 I have no idea about that, but even if it's a component in h-bombs, it's not the primary one. In fusion reactors, they're working on tritium "breeders", which, if memory serves, is lithium. I can't recall the process, but they're supposed to create tritium, when struck by a neutron. But each deuterium-tritium fusion reactor, might need tritium to get started, and I've heard/read rumours, that there might not be enough for that (I have no idea of the reliability of that, though). If memory serves, tritium is also a byproduct of fission-reactors, which is likely our main source of it, but because of the half-life of it, we never have more than around 20kg of it on the planet, at any point in time - as far as I know (sorry for all of the uncertainty in this message - it's not the part of fusion I've studied the most - so for anyone who spots mistakes here, please don't hesitate to correct them).

[@erikkarsies4851]

@@martinfyhn1976 Tritium is a very important component of Hydrogen bombs. It is used with Deuterium to turn the fission reaction in to a fusion reaction which makes the bombs much more powerfull. But I see on wikipedia (and I quote from there : "Tritium is an important component in nuclear weapons. " ) that is used for some other applications also. The clips I've seen of real working fusors until now were mainly inside scienctiric nuclear research locations. And I suspect there is at least an amount of bureaucracy involved using the stuff for experiments. The breeding of Tritium out of Lithium is a very tricky one because you need a neutron source (for instance a nuclear reactor) and those neutrons need to hit the lithium at certain speeds and even than it's a very difficult to extract the tiny amounts of (pure!) Tritium out of it. If you want to know more about it then the wikipedia of Tritium is a good way to start.

[@martinfyhn1976]

@@erikkarsies4851 Thank you for the explanations and clarifications. I still don't know about the requirements of getting tritium, and initially I was thinking that I don't really see any reason to regulate it, as it's likely nigh impossible to get a hold of, due to rarity, and price, and because tritium itself isn't really dangerous, though radioactive. What I meant with it not being the main component of an h-bomb, is that you also need to get enriched fissile material, which *definitely* is difficult to get your hands on, and very regulated. I was also comparing it to deuterium, which as you mentioned, is another component of such a bomb, but is easy to get your hands on - but then I remembered another fusor video I saw, with someone who had a pretty difficult time of getting deuterium gas. He managed to get some, through working at a lab, if memory serves. Another youtuber in stead got a hold of heavy water, which seemed to be easier to get a hold of, and got deuterium through electrolysis. And then there's the fact that 10% of the ocean is deuterium. What I'm trying to say, is that if deuterium is regulated, then tritium is likely regulated in the same way, in addition to being really rare and expensive. I don't think that it's as heavily regulated as e.g. enriched uranium, but it is just naturally difficult to get a hold of. Also, many things can be components of deadly things, but it would be silly to regulate things that themselves are not dangerous. To exaggerate, it's sort of the same as saying that we need to regulate oxygen because it's a critical component of most explosive reactions.

[@erikkarsies4851]

@@martinfyhn1976 One in every 6420 Hydrogen atoms in sea water containa an extra neutron (which means it's a Deuterium atom) so 10% is a bit optimistic, but indeed Heavy water is widely availabe and way cheaper than the 30.000 dollar a gram which Tritium was going for in 2000 according to wikipedia. I don't think the posession of Tritium is the issue but I would expect that goverments wants to keep track of the trade in the stuff. It isn't really usefull to regulate Deuterium because it is so easy produceable compared to Tritium and so Deuterium isnt an issue in the balance of power between super powers The problems you describe with Deuiterium probably have to do with purity and nature had a long time to produce Deuterium while Tritiium has a half life of about 12 years. So you won't find much of it naturally. What I do know is that the superpowers are not open about the amount of Triitium they have as a strategic stock which does signal some nervousness poltically about it. Deuterium isn't radioactive and Oxygen is neither. And in many places you can pick Uranium which you could theoretically turn in to fissile material. Still they are quite worried of countries like North Korea and Iran doing exactly that. I sure don't think they would like that those countries would buy considerable ammounts of Tritium. If they would find a easy way to produce Tririum a lot faster they probably first even would try to keep it a secret if they can.

[@WSmith_1984]

That was one of the greatest watches I've had on this platform... thanks for sharing...

[@etherealswordsman3214]

Now to wait for the Integza follow up. it'll happen, probably, knowing him. Gotta love it. ... I want one. Excited for the next vid on it! fusion time!

[@randomplayer6716]

Honestly, it would be really neat if you could show the wiring diagram for this, because now I just want to make one.

[@gabrijelgacesa8171]

me and my friend are trying to build ths for or physics competition in high school but we dont have a pump what should we be looking when buying it and do you have some advice please if you have tell us. We realy enjoy your content.

[@Avanteesh_Astro206]

Wow, This Is Insane!! I have been Always Fascinated With this stuff!

[@AnilArya51]

Eagerly waiting for pt.2 : )

[@WariceHimSelf]

Hey! Awesome video! I am planning on making my own nuclear fusor (non-demonstrative, it'll fuse deuterium), but I'm having trouble finding a good HV power supply. Can you share the schematic for your multiplier, or provide a more in-depth look at it (I will give you credit)? If so I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you, again great video.

[@alankleinman526]

Your stuff as components are awesome. What happens when you have these self sustained plasma experiments all come together in say an aircraft? Ion thrusters powered by fusion generator. One step closer to TIE fighter.

[@PlasmaChannel]

Dont give my secrets away now, Alan. :P

[@stvoodoo]

Holy mother of god this was really cool! Love these videos you have coming out!

[@N-T1856]

Hello sir iam following your channel from 3 years, u know u guys inspired me to start my own utube channel. U know sir the work u do is inspiring and simple. So I started my own channel and thanks to u, I had a breakthrough today itself. Iam a fan sir Nicola Tesla.

[@CharlieSolis]

Did you have to go through the process of electro polishing the inside of your vessel?

[@CharlieSolis]

For anyone looking to make something in the future, stainless steel kegs are vacuum capable and are electro polished on the inside and are great for use with nuclear fussors. A couple of universities have done this. ASU has a couple videos going through their process of turning a keg into a nuclear fusion chamber.

[@PlasmaChannel]

That’s awesome. Thanks for the info! No, I did not polish mine.

[@CharlieSolis]

@@PlasmaChannel You’re very welcome! And thanks for the reply! The ASU keg nuclear reactor vacuum chamber videos really helped me for my vacuum steam Tesla turbine system build. If you’re positive it’s sealed But not getting a low enough vacuum I would guess that you’re off gassing from the internal surfaces. You may have to pump it down, hold it, pump it down again and hold it, do that multiple times over a day. All the micro crevices have gasses trapped and molecularly adhered to the internal surfaces of the chamber and can take a long time to get out if not electro polished. Another thought, 🤔 and this is just a wild stab in the dark because I can’t remember what your clear window material was made of, but the radiations, UV and otherwise, might be causing the window to break down and off gas too 🤷‍♂️ idk, I usually try to stick to stainless vessels personally with Boro glass windows, which you might have and I just missed it 😅 Hope some/any of this helps with your journey! Again, thanks for the reply!

[@justintrudeau6428]

Beautiful piece of work. You should add it to your merch catalog

[@shanegibbens]

Great build! Looking forward to next video!

[@iphoneawesome123]

Yeah I think source of the issue was the Teflon tape and lack of hose clamps on that tygon tubing. If it was straight brass on brass it would have been much tighter and easy to undo. Also a digital gage could help you see much lower pressures. I've done some work that needed some ultra low vacuum for some cryogenically cooled radiation detectors that fail with the slightest atmospheric impurity.

[@ArduinoClub]

В этом нет ничего нового. Раньше таким способом делали газоразрядные индикаторы

[@yourlifeshouldbefun]

such a pleasure to watch this guy. x

[@SP_3333]

So exciting. Thanks for sharing.

[@socheat443]

Your country is very rich in resources, I love work like you

[@ajcon3874]

Brilliant is a sponsor I’m definitely going to check out! I love Computer Science and Physics, and this seems like a platform I’d be willing to pay for.

[@keepitreal2902]

Beautiful project...nice work.

[@effoffutube]

Cool experiment, engineers have always loved the perpetual motion challenge.

[@abrokanfxr3388]

looking buffed man keep grinding!!!

[@ryanrester]

That's beautiful! 🥺

[@Ar7ific1al]

I’m subbing specifically for the follow up to this. Holy crap this was just so cool.

[@pkwithlemur18]

I am genuinely stoked to see your next video

[@PlasmaChannel]

Thanks Derek. I’ve been building it and filming it for a solid month now. It’s an interactive plasma table (like for dinner). I just screwed it all up yesterday, so no idea when it will be out now 🫣

[@pkwithlemur18]

​@@PlasmaChannel that's most unfortunate but I bet you could do it again. I hope everything is okay. Alternative idea it would be neat to see you use it to power something small I read some of your other responses to other and saw you said it would only make a few watts it would be super cool to see it power something small even a light bulb or two anyway I love your channel. Get the brain spinning and is inspiring.

[@fullsendmarinedarwin7244]

That’s a really nice vacuum pump!! Wish I had that for fibreglass work

[@JavierChiappa]

12:47 that glow sequence start looks like pure sci-fi

[@86steelrain]

The effect the high voltage creates in the container is wild looking! Doesn't even look real to an extent, curious to see how the next phase goes!

[@GrimmReaper7165]

Thank you for existing and having this channel.

[@PlasmaChannel]

That is so kind. Thank you for leaving a comment.

[@Claysimen]

Cant wait for the upgrade🤯

[@jatinsaini0417]

I like energy, electricty, fusion, I know I sort of repeated things related to energy, thus I subscribed to your channel.

[@cobretticobra7911]

I like how it didn’t go to plan makes it more realistic cool video 👍

[@SRSGMAG]

Real life superhero. You have a mind that can change the world like the old masters. You got that real deal super power - brilliance.

[@vairiankingkade6120]

Awesomeness Love your videos ❤ cheers 🍻

[@Dmytro_Shu]

I want to try it later. Good lamp for my table

[@devynhale1623]

Mind blowing absolutely beautiful 😍 I want one!

[@pdgingras]

Years ago we built a large stainless steel vacuum bottle for Corning Ware. We had to pull a vacuum in the milliTorr region, so we used a diffusion vacuum pump.

[@Mr.Unbreakable83]

Wow that's so cool gotta love science.

[@choahjinhuay]

Loved the integza cameo

[@philip2.2.12]

I work for a company doing PVD, i recommend either using vacuum hosing, or some sort of clamp around the hose connections.

[@cabanford]

Just found your channel. Looking forward to seeing your ion thruster plane zoom soon! 🚀