ESD Detectors: Any Use?

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ian_krase
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ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by ian_krase »

A few days ago I saw an electronics store selling for pretty cheap a handheld device which I believe to be some form of miniature electrometer able to detect the electric fields thrown off of electrodes charged to fusorish voltages, from a standoff distance of several inches.

I am curious whether anybody thinks that this would be a useful tool for fusioneering. (Note that contact HV probes rated for 50 kV seem to be rather rare!)
Jerry Biehler
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by Jerry Biehler »

It wont be anywhere near accurate.

Sencore makes a 50kv probe: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sencore-HP200-5 ... SwEzxYbCHt
ian_krase
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by ian_krase »

Obviously it wouldn't be a good quantitative measurement.

But I sort of wondered whether it would be useful for profiling e-fields or getting a rough idea.
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Richard Hull
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by Richard Hull »

If merely profiling E-fields is really important to you, then go for it. Of course, it won't help getting fusion done at all. All such devices are, indeed some form of inexpensive electrometer with easily destroyed FET front ends.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
ian_krase
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by ian_krase »

Oh? What kind of electrometer is harder to destroy?


Also, would it be useful for mass spectrometer type ion detectors?
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Bob Reite
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by Bob Reite »

One with a vacuum tube ("valve" in the UK) instead of an FET.
The more reactive the materials, the more spectacular the failures.
The testing isn't over until the prototype is destroyed.
ian_krase
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Re: ESD Detectors: Any Use?

Post by ian_krase »

I should have figured. I'd be curious if you know of any guides to such things, especially that will be meaningful to somebody not experience with tubes.
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