Author Topic: My introduction to high voltage  (Read 2961 times)

Offline MRMILSTAR

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My introduction to high voltage
« on: July 07, 2021, 11:54:36 PM »
This was a toy that I received for Christmas in the early 1960s. Its a hand-cranked Van De Graaff generator kit. The company that made it is Renwal. They also made such toys as The Visible Man, The Visible Woman, The Visible Dog, The Visible V8 Engine, The Visible Radial Aircraft Engine, and probably others. I had most of them.

This was my introduction to electricity and high voltage in particular. I loved this toy. I wish that I still had it but I wore it out.
Steve White
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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Offline SalinsLV

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2021, 09:20:41 PM »
Did it create sparks or just made small pieces of paper repel from the top?
K. Salins

Offline MRMILSTAR

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2021, 09:43:22 PM »
It would create 2 inch long sparks if the humidity was low. That is what the small discharge ball is for if you didn't want to use your knuckle.
Steve White
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Offline futurist

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2021, 12:50:22 AM »
Wow I wish we had similar toys in our childhood
Various physics, chemistry and electronics toys were available back then which would be prohibited today because of the safety regulations

It's really a problem considering how you might get someone interested in science. For example chemistry is mostly experimental science and you can't really appreciate it without doing the actual experiments. However, today for general public buying and using almost all chemicals is prohibited, and the list of prohibited things tends to grow. I'm sure that in EU in the near future you'll even have to have some kind of a permit to buy things like cement for basic construction works

Offline MrScrOggs

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2021, 04:00:47 AM »
Why don't they make toys like that anymore? I would have loved to have that
Evan

Offline MRMILSTAR

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #5 on: July 09, 2021, 05:19:17 AM »
Its a shame that such educational toys are no longer available. Its a great loss. These are the kinds of toys that got kids interested in science and engineering.

I'm 68 years old and also had some incredible chemistry sets in the early 1960s. Some had about 30 chemicals. There were alcohol burners. At the local hobby shop there was a rack with about 50 different chemicals that you could buy from the Perfect company. They specialized in chemicals for hobbyists. There is no such thing now. We have lost a lot due to an over-emphasis on safety at all costs.

If you can find an old copy of "The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments" for a reasonable price, buy it. I had this book as a kid and it was fascinating. I performed a lot of the experiments. I wish that I still had it. This book will give you an idea of what kids used to be able to do with chemistry sets. I saw one on E-Bay today with an asking price of $275!  :o I see that its now available on a CD for $6.99.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2021, 11:15:12 PM by MRMILSTAR »
Steve White
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Offline klugesmith

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2021, 05:51:14 AM »
Yes, modern chemistry sets are not allowed to have any materials more hazardous than dirt. 
Well, maybe salt, but that hurts more if you get it on a cut.

Offline Da_Stier

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2021, 01:30:59 PM »
It's basically the same deal with electronics.
I'm only 25 years old, yet the first electronics sets I got when I was around 6 or 7 years old, where quite a bit more interesting, with a lot of components and analog circuits to build.
(And a lot more "bonus" circuits to build by buying some more parts)
All the later ones I got became less and less interesting, until there was literally nothing interesting left.

It's quite a shame, since kids might have a completely different view on electronics if educational toys were of better quality.

Offline ElectroXa

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2021, 09:22:10 PM »
I was introduced to high voltage with the electrostatic sparks when crt tv were turned on
I used to have this kind of electronic game ( )
and velleman kits
Why don't they make toys like that anymore? I would have loved to have that
I think they no longer make this kind of HV toys, as the modern society is that if the child hurts himself using the toy, there would have a lawsuit and fines against them  :(

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Re: My introduction to high voltage
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2021, 09:22:10 PM »

 


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