How a Wimshurst Machine Works

[@matthewanipen2418]

I was about to run away from this video half way through. So many educational vids like this go from simple elementary explanations to quantum physics equations in a matter of seconds. But this video was a steady incline of new information that even I could grasp after a few drinks. Thank you so much for this!

[@phzzxguy]

One of the clearest and best-animated science videos I’ve seen. Fantastic!

[@caiolira09]

Dear Steve, I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the incredible educational content that you create on your channel. As someone who has always been fascinated by the world of physics and technology, your videos have been an invaluable resource for me in expanding my knowledge and understanding of these subjects. Your ability to break down complex concepts and explain them in a clear and concise manner is truly remarkable, and your passion for these topics shines through in every video you create. I am constantly amazed by the depth and breadth of your knowledge, and I have no doubt that your work has helped countless others, like myself, to deepen their appreciation for the wonders of the universe. Thank you for all that you do, and for your unwavering commitment to educating and inspiring others. Your contributions to the world of science and technology are truly immeasurable, and I feel fortunate to be able to learn from you on a regular basis. With sincere thanks and admiration, Caio Cesar.

[@sciencehour9476]

So finally after 2 years, the video is here!

[@RimstarOrg]

Yup! I wrote a Hackaday article about it last year and that lead me to new ideas that made me try again.

[@daynawithawhy]

@@RimstarOrg Where were you when I was in high school? If you'd been around to explain it then I might actually have passed sciences and physics

[@foodies6649]

Wowww......

[@zp944]

These have existed for like 50 years. If you really wanted to know how they work, you could have just Googled it

[@samancor3271]

And 4 years later it’s still being viewed

[@SadamFlu]

thank you so much for all of your hard work to get me to understand electricity on the fundamental level. I really appreciate this channel a lot.

[@moschettiflavio3635]

I never thought such a complex subject could be explained so well. Good job Man

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks. It didn't happen often but every now and then I had the time to do a video with a thorough explanation like this. Another is one about how a crystal radio works kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zl6zgZSoiNKqqqc Thanks for watching!

[@claricegr]

Thank you very much for this video! Im from Brazil, and work in Musem of Arts and Trades, in Belo Horizonte. Here have a Wimshurts machine and i needed to understand better how works, and this video helped me so much! I really love it! Perfect explanation, i am sending for all my collegues, thanks!!

[@festinalente8354]

Thanks for explanation. It is clear and precise. Very amazing and beautiful. Saludos desde España.

[@verdatum]

Going into this video: "Hey, no fair. You've already explained how a Wimshurst machine works" Watching this video: "Oh. Wait. Nevermind. This one is GORGEOUS." Beautiful job. Good editing, incredible animation, loved it.

[@notny411]

Probably the best WH explanation I've ever seen! Great job! And thank you! Wow that was good graphics too!

[@TechsScience]

It deserves millions of views

[@quantumellon]

Thankyou very much for that informative video on the basic construction of a wimshurst machine. I am an electronic engineer and have always been fascinated by this device ever since childhood when I used to see those old 1950s Frankenstein movies where they had huge ones made to show massive sparks which probably couldn't have been achieved and also jacobs ladder sparks which would have been unfeasable using them. But in all those years even though I understood the principle behind how the charge was accumulated, I never took the time to discover how they actually were constructed. I'm retired now and plan to make a big one with the best insulators I can find and see what I can do with it...

[@project-unifiedfreepeoples]

I offer my sincerest gratitude for giving me a greater understanding of this aspect. May peace and prosperity be upon you always.

[@micahakervold]

Thank you so so much for taking the time to make this video, and all of the others that you’ve posted!

[@modernmirza5303]

This is one of the best science videos i have seen so far.

[@odysandy]

best explanation ever, when it comes to physics, other dont explain as good as you

[@738polarbear]

ABSOLUTELY crystal clear SUPERB explanation . BRAVO indeed.

[@selwild2050]

Impressive. Cette explication est impressionnante de clarté.

[@achachm]

So well explained! your animations really help

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! You've made so many things that I can't remember if you've made a Wimshurst machine. That might be an idea for you.

[@francishosey551]

I am so greatful for this great video with the perfect balance of explanation and observable reactions happening. Thank you I have only been able to get this with this video

[@Raya_0009]

Please don’t stop what are you doing 🙏 it’s really excellent work 🎩🎩🎩

[@bobthaden4331]

I got my first Wimshurst machine (and a Morris & Lee VDG) from Edmund Scientific about 50+ years ago. I've have many books and seen this explanation many times, however your presentation is by far the best I've encountered. Thanks.

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks. When I made it, I set out to make another video which I could be as proud of as my How a Crystal Radio Works video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zl6zgZSoiNKqqqc They take a lot of work but are worth it.

[@geo21821]

Brilliant explanation - much superior to others I have found on the internet. Ever since I first saw a Wimshurst machine at school, 50 odd years ago, I have been mystified by how it could possibly work. Now I know (I think). Thanks!

[@davidsteele9103]

Ditto! 45 years ago there was one stored in the back of our Science/Physics classroom. I never knew the name or what it was for - thanks for teaching us!

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Hey Amigo nice to see this video again...the Wimshurst video you made last time was one of the best !! I even tickled you to make an '' N machine '' after that i remember!

[@RimstarOrg]

That's strange. You're the second person to say they've seen another Wimshurst machine explanation by me but this is the first time making one that I can recall. I made a start a few years ago but didn't get past the intro. As you can imagine, it was a monumental amount of work. I also wrote a Hackaday article but that's all.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

yes i do agree this video was the epitomy of explanation about this device!! well done!

[@CondensedComments]

Wow!!!! Amazing demonstration, thank you (thank you!) so much for taking the time to do all this! It's so much fun I am so excited to one day build one of these to experiment and play around with they are so cool!

[@Mysteria9]

Fantastic explanation and illustration, thank you!

[@whatelseison8970]

Wow! I've come across your videos from time to time and after I saw the one you made about the tea laser a few years ago I checked out most of what you had posted. You never used to really attempt to explain things in this sort of depth and always sort of underplayed your understanding of things. I have to say that your explaining in this video is not only just as good as I expected, but the animations are perfectly synchronized with the script and very clear and well done in their own right. Did you do all the CGI yourself too? In any case I'm very happy to see your channel continuing to mature beyond what was already a fascinating catalog of fun projects and demos. I'm sure the algorithm fairy will bring you at least another 100k subs by 2020 if you keep this up.

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I've done a few of these long, detailed explanation videos but I haven't done a lot because, as you can guess, they're a lot of work - 3 weeks fulltime for a single one. But I do enjoy doing them. Another one which I did a long time ago and which you might also enjoy is my How a Crystal Radio Works video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zl6zgZSoiNKqqqc And yes, I do all the CGI too using Blender, a free 3D modelling and animation software.

[@cees1910]

Great video , as always. Keep the voor work up , for all oud Young people and alderly who want to learn

[@fidelcatsro6948]

wow learnt a new word today: ...alderly!!!

[@svenpetersen1965]

Great explanation and awesome animation. Well done!

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks!

[@eugenehvorostyanov2409]

Perfect explanation. Thank you, sir.

[@AnthonyFrancisJones]

Brilliant explanation of a simple looking piece of apparatus but not one that is easy to explain in a hurry!

[@aero_pilot923]

wow really good explanation! I've always wondered how that worked. I've heard in the invention of X rays, the Wimshurst was used to generate high voltage for the first X-ray tube - still somewhat in its experimental stage

[@jonni2734]

You explained it pefectly!!! Awesome video!!

[@udhi-_-]

Awesome explanation, and 3d model!

[@madsencc]

Excellent video. Best and most thorough explanation I've seen. Thank you.

[@ian6083]

Such a great explanation. Thank you very much!

[@arnavkumar3060]

I like how you used a capacitor to represent the spark gap.

[@rodmilne9336]

fantastic explanation mate. For all those who don't get it ... its all about shed tech, when high tech was something you could build in your shed! Today high tech is microchips and programming ... difficult to build in my shed!

[@johndoe-bq1xt]

Hello again Mr. RimstarOrg ! , Sir, I think I sort of solved the sector scraping problem. My Wimshurst Machine used four metal spikes to collect the charges. Two for one side and two for the other side. I just took a pair of pliers and removed them and replaced them with some aluminum tape shaped like a flat point that brushes up against the disks BUT wouldn't dig into them like the spikes did. Sir, after solving another problem I had I have to say that I have waaaaay better ESD than before. Its like the day I first got the machine. Good as new ! Okay, now I'm going to see if I can make a Wimshurst Machine FROM SCRATCH! The one thing this improvement to my Wimshurst Machine has taught me is that I should NEVER be afraid to experiment scientifically with Ideas and things ! If I can make a Wimshurst from scratch then I can make multiple units and drive them all with one dc motor and interconnect them with gears. At that point, "Skys' the limit" because I will be able to generate any amount of high voltage. I thank you sir for your videos, they're really helpful in mullng thins over in my mind. I hope I can talk like this with you from time to time, thank you again.

[@anisotropicplus]

Great video and description!

[@chrisb9841]

Outstanding, excellent! Thank you very much!

[@calcaware]

That was a lot more detailed than I was expecting. Thank you.

[@monkeydreammonkeydo6612]

Great video with very clear graphics. Thanks for creating and sharing this!

[@TubeNotMe]

Great! Very clear and thorough presentation. I like to know the principles behind the function of things like this.

[@peterismobiel]

Excelent explanation!

[@enmanuelbencosme1031]

Amazing explanation

[@emils-j.3586]

Brilliantly explained.

[@mysticalsoulqc]

the fact that you explained all that is crazy. you are a miracle man. Crazy gifted. lol omg lol

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! It took a long time before I came up with how to explain it well, but I really wanted to do another "work of art" like I did with my crystal radio explanation kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zl6zgZSoiNKqqqc.

[@Mr3344555]

One thing my father told me, is if someone is better than you, you learn from them. I'm subscribing :P you god damn savant!

[@Markoul11]

Excellent video presentation! I've subscribed to your channel.

[@shabadooshabadoo4918]

Wow, great video! thank you!

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! Thanks for watching it!

[@mrjohnson4970]

I thought this was great. Thanks so much for the video. Trying to get an old one working that was found disused in a back room at our school, dreadfully corroded by acid fumes and its leather belts were rotten. Further, it looks as though someone was modifying it back in the 70's and didnt complete the job. An interesting rebuild.

[@ultimateenergizerguide467]

The Testatika generator belongs to the group of electrostatically influenced machines, which have been developed since the 19th century, most notably the Wimhurst machine in 1880. In Switzerland, Europe, late 20th century, 1990s, the Swiss corporation Methernitha is said to have developed a self-powered generator (powered by its own feedback energy) in the form of a circuit. electronic. The Testatika generator is a self-powered generator, with the initial starting voltage being generated in the manner of a Wimhurst machine.

[@christiankandzia4884]

nice video it helped me to understand the aparatus, thank you very much! but one thing is missing a bit. the charge at the opposite sectors must become continuosly higher because otherwise it would not accumulate in the leyden jars. the fact that at the beginning it have only ONE sector charged and it influences charge separation at TWO sectors on the other plate makes the over all electric field stronger. this two charged sectors then rotate further and influence even stronger charge separation on the other side sectors and so on. so the charge separation effect adds up every time the "new/higher " charge meets the opposite neutralizer, and therefore charge becomes alternately higher on the front side and back side and cycles clockwise and anticlockwise.

[@RimstarOrg]

That's correct. The charge on the sectors builds but quite a bit. The limiting factor is the leakiness of the sectors. In the dark, they glow with corona at their sharp edges and with corona between them. You can also smell ozone. If you don't collect at least some of the charge at the collectors then it becomes hard to turn the crank due to the strong attraction between the opposite sectors which in turn is due to the amount of charge on them.

[@christiankandzia4884]

Thats impressive. I would Not think that you can feel the force on the crankshaft Wow

[@CurtWelch]

I must be slow. I don't understand how this generates a charge and why it keeps growing. All I see in the description is a lot of capacitors and wires holding charges. If you put a charge on a capacitor and then start connecting it to other capacitors the charges move and distribute but they don't grow in magnatude. They just keep getting smaller as you spread the charge over more capacitors. I can grasp how this acts as a charge "sorter" so random starting charges get sorted by the action of the neutralizer bars moving charges. But I don't get how those sorted charges can ever exceed the total starting charge. So what is the mechanism that causes the the charge to grow larger in this device? I understand the mechanical motion of the device is the source of the energy generating the charge but I don't grasp how this works. And why are the collector's pointed air gaps? Why not use another wire and brush to collect the charge? And what keeps the charge in the liden jars from returning to the disk? I don't understand why there is a one-way flow at work there.

[@ChipperTheChipster]

My friend is convinced that this device can be used as a source of free energy. "I can harness this, regulate it, and then​ store it so it can later be used to chrage my batteries!" Im not sure how to explain how that is not exactly likely. He feels he just has to start it and walk away. Then come back to full batteries. That isnt true is it?@@CurtWelch

[@jimdelsol1941]

Wow, incredibly well made video and very informative. Thank you very much !!

[@jeecodetv]

wow this is awesome! i'm planning to buy this one for my lab.

[@kshitijkumar4118]

Nice video sir... Very easy to understand.. Thank you

[@daroniussubdeviant3869]

nice. that really helped me understand. thank you.

[@andrewdarley8988]

In the 1950s my father had one of these which he was storing in the loft until he thought I was old enough to appreciate it. Unfortuneately it got broken in a house move when I was 10 so I never saw it work or understood what it was all about - very glad to find out 65 years later. PS he also had a Telsa coil which survived and gave me a lot of experimental pleasure

[@norvusordoseclorum]

Excellent content. Love the detailed animations

[@two_number_nines]

Great video! Would it work if the brushes have higher surface area and are very close to the sectors, but not touching them tho?

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! I recall seeing some with contactless brushes. I don't recall what the brushes looked like though.

[@jaydencrimsoneverett6731]

This is amazing, Thanks for explaining this marvellous piece of machinery, It helps my research.🙏👍👍

[@Michel-Uphoff]

Great video, excellent explanation. But you have forgotten to clarify an important point: How does the tension in the Leyden jars continue to increase? After all, the electrons in the increasingly negatively charged jar must repel the electrons from the collector at some point, unless the tension at the collector keeps increasing to overcome this hurdle (and vice versa for the positive charges). The explanation for this phenomenon is hidden in the capacitor formula's: The two opposite sectors (one positively charged and the other negatively charged, in your video the ones at twelve o'clock ) together form a capacitor with a certain charge. The well known capacitor formulas are: C = εA/d and C=Q/V. Rewritten: Q/V=εA/d. (The capacity C, Farads drops out of the equation) The permittivity (ε), the surface area (A) and charge (Q) do not change (no leak assumed). Now that those two sectors at twelve o'clock are rotating away from each other, the mutual distance (d) does increase sharply. As a result, the (negative) voltage (V) across this capacitor must increase accordingly, and is always higher (lower) than the voltage across the Leyden jar. In theory, if there were no discharge at all (which is impossible) , the tension between the two jars could rise to infinity. I built a Wimshurst machine myself a few years ago. Maybe I will make a nice video with a detailed explanation concerning the build and theory. In the mean time you can see it sparking here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6Opp5Rne9J3ns0

[@carolineee359]

Thank you for your great video!

[@ahoybruw9517]

At 7:20 schematic, why are the Leiden jar capacitors connected in series? Shouldn't they be in parallel instead?

[@RimstarOrg]

Nope, they're connected in series. The two outer cylinders are connect together. If you follow the polarity of the charge, the inner cylinder on the left in the animation is negative, so the outer cylinder on the left is positive, that makes the outer cylinder on the right one negative which makes the inner cylinder on the right positive. You can follow the capacitor plates I've drawn at 7:20 in the same way, the leftmost plate is negative, then the opposing plate for that one is positive, that makes the left plate of the capactor on the right negative which makes the rightmost plate positive.

[@pici24]

Nice video, good explanation ! Thank you for sharing !!

[@Brassmonger]

No one has explained it so good before.

[@МаксПетров-ц1р]

3:41 why ALL negative charge goes to lower sector? For charge is better to be split between upper and lower sectors? Isn't it?

[@RimstarOrg]

At 3:34, the negative charge in the sector shown at the top repels the negative charge to the lower sector. That's what's really doing the repelling. The amount that will be repelled depends on how negative charged that top sector is.

[@flommefelix]

im here because of a band with the same name as the maschine but that was a wonderful lesson perfect midnight knowlege thank you!!

[@wesperes]

Great! I've finally got the idea.

[@Zanka06]

What a great explanation! Thanks.

[@kroetzz]

Thanks from Brazil. So... why do you need the Leyden jars instead of solely conect the colectors to the spheres?

[@RimstarOrg]

The Leyden jars are for getting bigger sparks. They collect additional charge so that when the spark gap breaks down, the spark will have more charge (current) and so will be bigger and brighter.

[@philoso377]

Nice presentation. Let me understand the operation enough to ask questions. Why the capacitors continues to take charge and not saturate? or will the charge in capacitor flood back into the next charge carrier?

[@AbdalaziemeOmar]

great question

[@PrinceWesterburg]

Brilliant! I never knew they where as complex as that - the ones I played with as a boy in London's Science Museum are all mahogany and brass with most of the workings hidden away. So the one on your bike - could you put a xenon strobe tube across the spark gap and have a headlight that made it look like everything was static? (pun intended)

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! You'd have to hide the disks in a casing too, otherwise the spinning disks would also give it away.

[@EngrAhmedMahdy]

Awesome video

[@tonygoldwing7247]

I Have seen that one in an Electric museum in Denmark. Tange Elmuseum

[@anthonyvolkman2338]

Excellent description!!!!!

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks!

[@patrickmchargue7122]

Thanks. Ever play with a radial dirod? I remember reading about it as a kid.

[@alirahimi7953]

This was awesome thanks

[@jheybrent]

Can you remove the "third capacitor" the one that sparks and connect all other capacitors into a battery and turn the current here into any usable energy?

[@RimstarOrg]

Theoretically, yes. The voltage will likely be too high for the battery charging. Also, Wimshurst machines have been known to switch voltages while running -- one collector may be positive and the other negative, and then something happens to the charges on the sectors and all of a sudden the polarities at the collectors reverse. But if you can lower the voltage at the output then some diodes would take care of that.

[@jheybrent]

@@RimstarOrg i kinda want to connect Wimshurst machine into a stirling engine to produce even the slightest useable energy, i wonder if i can do it with that configuration

[@RimstarOrg]

Theoretically it's doable. The Wimshurst machines crank does take quite a bit of torque so you'd need a powerful Stirling engine.

[@ankanmunakokkeli9255]

5:50 So does that mean there will be a little spark between neutralizer and a disc?

[@RimstarOrg]

At 5:50 I'm showing a collector facing a disc. In that case there won't be any spark because the air is electrically conductive enough for charge to conduct through the air without building up too much. Since the charge is conducting across, it never builds up on either the sector or the sharp pointed collector to create a spark. The sharp point is basically preventing a spark from happening.

[@overunityinventor]

How much watts (voltage and current) does it produce every second?

[@RimstarOrg]

That's hard to answer. The voltage really depends on the distance at the spark gap. I did read somewhere that the current at the collectors is around 10 microamps or less though. Of course, if you have a spark then the spark contains a much higher amount of current over a brief time.

[@unknown_url]

How has he done those animations?, they look great.

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! I use Blender, free 3D modelling and animation software from blender.org

[@evilplaguedoctor5158]

awesome explanation! but I always wondered.. what if instead of a spark gap, have a resistor, could you get a small DC current that way?

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! Absolutely, you could put a resistor instead. I've read that there's around 10 or so microamps at the collectors, but it's something at least. I've seen people light small LEDs that they put in the middle of a neutralizer bar.

[@eternalray8194]

Hello, when you said, on the other side only the negatives can move and are attracted by the positives charge of the opposite sectors and in the video we saw only the negatives leaving away (which makes sense) of the negative and positives charges. Just wondering could some of these charges be the negative charge that arise from the opposite sector being negative thus making this side negative as well due to the induction effect be some of these charges in addition to the previous (positive and negative plates)?

[@RimstarOrg]

Hi, I was able to follow your question right up to before "as well due". Before that point, the answer is yes. That's what I was trying to describe. What do you mean from the "as well due..." and onward? You can see how this is hard to put into words!

[@eternalray8194]

@@RimstarOrg thanks for reply Rim,1. Is the charge state of the opposite disk where you explain opposite disk have different sectors charges? Does it have for example all negative charge on all of its sectors. Or all neutral both positive and negative? My guess is a mixture or random charges as you state in the beginning but clarification would be great. I said as well because I didn’t think only neutral charges would be the only thing that exist where the Induction effect would take place where a be one disk and b opposite disk, if a sector has negative charge it will eventually make its mirror sector of b be negative as well due to induction effect. Lastly I want to say that I loved your videos and you explain and clarify the most confusing fundament al subjects at least for me. I am 100% the wrong one here I’m just throwing out there for education these questions mad respect sir hoping for more videos soon it’s been awhile since you made some an idea I think would be to explain ground I still don’t get how ground work but I see you confidently working with ultra high voltages and current confidently knowing 100% you will be safe I don’t yet lol or maby you are studying higher subjects?

[@dolomighty74]

very good explanation and animation! just a small detail, you showed four negative charges flowing from a negative charged sector to a neutral charged one, but if it was like this, what would stop the negative charges to flow back where they was before? after all, it would be like at the beginning. I think the neutralizer instead works by equalizing charges between sectors, exactly like two caps in parallel reach almost the same voltage, so in your animation only two of the charges should move.

[@RimstarOrg]

The charged sector that's on the other disk is what stops the negative charges from flowing back where they were before. When the disk rotates a little more and the sectors are no longer being touched by the neutralizer then there's no path for the negative charges to flow back along. And the repulsion by the negative sector on the other disk is still on the other side long enough for the disk to rotate away from the neutralizer. I first thought that four charges should move and then realized that it would be just two, like you said. That's when I was thinking like you, that the neutralizer was equalizing charge. But then when the destination sector was next rotated to where there was a neutralizer on the other disk, then it would have only the strength of two charges to repel with. So on the other disk, only one charge would move along that neutralizer to another sector, and so on, with the amount of charge moving around being less and less all the time. So I thought that can't be right. That's when I realized that the two sectors and the neutralizer are all electrically connected and the explanation I gave made sense.

[@hansdejong8705]

Very nice explanation and animations indeed! For me the question is not so much why the charge does not flow back, but why it is completely flowing to the other sector in the first place. I would think that it would almost even out between the two sectors. Can you explain why it would flow entirely to the opposite sector?

[@michaelcollins4665]

Hi, Can static electricity be harvested and used for high power use ?

[@RimstarOrg]

In my experience, no. There isn't usually much power available when you generate static electricity. When there's a spark there is but then you have to wait to build up for another spark which makes it not much power overall. Regarding this Wimshurst machine, the power output will always be lower than the power you use to turn the crank. And since Wimshurst machines have a lot of losses, they're also not very efficient.

[@michaelcollins4665]

@@RimstarOrg Thank you . Do you think that " spark" would bust the water molecule ?

[@RimstarOrg]

I don't know.

[@saskoilersfan]

Yes ..see : star ship enterprise and ghost Buster rigs.

[@saskoilersfan]

@@RimstarOrg wimshurst USS Enterprise design . Wimshurst ghost Buster rigs designs. Wimshurst used in Welles time machine. In reality they don't use. Only in fantasy.

[@johndoe-bq1xt]

Mr. RimstarOrg, Sir, At the time stamp of (8:44) the illustration of the electrons going through the air atoms or molecules in waves, But, in one direction and that means its a DC discharge or spark. Here is my question, At the topload of, lets say, a toroid that sits on top of a secondary coil of a Tesla Coil. That toroid's surface. The electrical discharge is AC. So, if I were to illustrate that spark or lightening stream that comes off of that surface, the same way you illustrated the electrons going through the air molecules. My illustration would be waves of electrons going back and forth at the resonant frequency of the tesla coil. They would just go back and forth in alternating waves of electrons, RIGHT?

[@RimstarOrg]

At 8:44 it looks like waves only because I animated it that way. It shouldn't be waves, just a continuous stream of charge moving through the air. My bad. I hadn't realized at the time that it could be interpreted as waves. But you're right, it is DC. However, as you said, a Tesla coil is AC. My understanding of Tesla coils is that the topload is doing something similar. Each time a streamer (what the discharges at the topload are often called) occur it ionizes the air a little more. Then the streamer ends and then the next streamer happens. But because the air is more ionized, this next streamer can reach out further. This repeats but is too fast for the eye to notice. There is a limit to how far they can go though. So yes, each streamer would be one wave.

[@johndoe-bq1xt]

@@RimstarOrg RIGHT ! TY SIR! I GOT IT !

[@МаксПетров-ц1р]

5:34 in real machine there is a sparks between disk and combs. Is it useful sparks or not? How to explain this sparks?

[@RimstarOrg]

I don't get sparks between he disk and the combs on my Wimshurst machines. If you're getting sparks then that sounds like the points on your combs aren't sharp enough. If they're not sharp enough then charge will build up on them and stay on them, instead of cross the gap a little at a time. That will cause the electric field between them get stronger and stronger until finally the charge bursts across all at once. That's the spark. That's what happens at the spark gap at 7:52.

[@МаксПетров-ц1р]

@@RimstarOrg Thank you for your answer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap-ymZ-cmraBobM ... 3:57 is seems this machine can work with only 3 brushes connected to disks. How to explain this?

[@RimstarOrg]

In that case he's likely producing charge from only the side that has both ends of its neutralized bar touching. I say "likely" because the brush for the neutralizer where it's not touching has sharp points and it's possible that that end is interacting a little bit with the disk through ionized air. If you look at a Wimshurst machine in darkness then you'll see the disks glow a lot with bluish corona due to all the leaking charge from the sharp edges involved (on the sectors and the brushes). PS. KZbin flagged your reply as spam, probably because of the link, so I only just now noticed it.

[@Laynor333]

Great explanation. Could you do the same for the Bonetti Machine please ???

[@maxximumb]

Another great video.

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks.

[@sananselmospacescienceodys7308]

I have two very small versions of this device in my Accutron 2020 space view wrist watch. They power the watch.

[@duanecjohnson]

Hi RimstarOrg; I have to comment a bit about where the energy is obtained to cause the separation of the charges and generate such high voltages. The separation doesn't come about for free! Work must be done to do the separation. The plates on the disks form capacitors, "variable capacitors". 1. The plate pairs when initially charged have relatively high capacitance between each other. The energy in this capacitor is E=(CV^2)/2. 2. The capacitance of this capacitor is inversely proportional to the distance between the plates. 3. As the disks rotate the capacitance deceases between the plates. Since the charge in this capacitor is constant the voltage increases the further they are separated. It takes mechanical work to oppose the attractive force between the plates. This work converts relatively low initial voltages to substantially higher voltages. Note! Power is Voltage * current, W=V*A. The initial plate charging current is the same as the current being collected and delivered to the Leyden jar. But, since the voltage is much higher the delivered output power is much higher then the initial input power. The added power is caused by the mechanical work expended in turning the disks. redrok@redrok,com

[@overunityinventor]

What if we connect a small light bulb in between the capacitor or inbetween the spark gap, will it light up?

[@RimstarOrg]

A small LED might light up. I know I've seen people put small LEDs where the neutralizer bars are, so cut a neutralizer bar and insert and LED. That works.

[@gerardoruvalcaba564]

Excelente vídeo! Es posible? y de ser así, qué condiciones se deben cumplir además de agregar un par de antenas en los extremos del Spark gap para simular el experimento de Hertz donde se genera una onda electromagnética? 🤔

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! I don't have any experience with using this to generate electromagnetic waves so I can't help you with that. Interesting project! Google translation: ¡Gracias! No tengo ninguna experiencia con el uso de esto para generar ondas electromagnéticas, así que no puedo ayudarte con eso. Interesante proyecto!

[@nlo114]

I understand how this works, but nobody seems to mention the voltage multiplication effect of the contra-rotating discs. At school we were taught that Q=CV. When two plates are opposite, they have a fixed charge; as they move apart, the charge remains the same, but the capacitance is reduced, causing the voltage to increase proportionately. Once the plates are at maximum distance, the voltage increase is sufficient to enable the charge to 'bleed-off' to the leyden jars via the corona between the plates and the collector points. Have I misunderstood something here or just missed a point?

[@RimstarOrg]

Hmmm... Interesting. I was aware of the voltage increasing as capacitor plates are separated but hadn't considered any part it may play in a Wimshurst machine. That voltage is between the plates but I guess since the collectors are capacitively coupled through the collectors then the voltage on that side would be affected too.

[@iiextraheat3786]

can you build up the individual sparks into one big charge?

[@RimstarOrg]

Yes. You just have to move the two sides of the spark gap (the balls) further apart. That way it'll take longer between sparks giving more time for more charge to build up in the Leyden jars. You'll have fewer sparks but they'll be bigger.

[@iiextraheat3786]

how long can you place them apart until the sparks cannot reach?

[@RimstarOrg]

The maximum spark gap width varies depending on the humidity in the air and other factors such as losses. At some point, the charge build-up on the various parts will get so high that the losses don't allow any more charge to build-up. I've never test what that maximum width would be. I've probably gotten 3 to 4 inch sparks without looking for the maximum.

[@АртемСос-й8ж]

Thanks for explanation.

[@raviudayjadhav6930]

Nicely explained

[@CHIEF_Games]

SO well done!!

[@alistairmcdonald2382]

Can you show us how to make an electrostatic motor & a cronus motor, Please cause your idea is better than other’s