Hello from Central Florida

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Aidan Furlong
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 8:01 pm
Real name: Aidan Furlong
Location: Central Florida

Hello from Central Florida

Post by Aidan Furlong »

Hi, my name is Aidan Furlong and I'm a junior in high school. I'm absolutely in love with physics and nuclear engineering, and finally built a fusor over the winter. At the moment it runs on a 12kV NST at -29inHg from a second hand pump, so I'm pretty eager to do some upgrades and get it into star mode. At the moment I'm doing experiments at the school about how the surface area and geometry of the inner grids produce different amounts of light. Fusor.net's been a great help and resource for building fusor related things (currently working on a D2O electrolyzer).

Future Upgrades:
Deuterium Electrolyzer + Shielding
40 kV Power Supply
A better pump method

I guess that's it, just decided to become a member of the site after all the time spent here
John Futter
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Re: Hello from Central Florida

Post by John Futter »

Aidan
First get a proper vacuum gauge inches of mercury do not work here all of our reported vacuums from backing pressure to deep vacuum would read 29 in/Hg on your present gauge it is missing seeing 5 to 7 orders of magnitude of vacuum.
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Aidan Furlong
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 8:01 pm
Real name: Aidan Furlong
Location: Central Florida

Re: Hello from Central Florida

Post by Aidan Furlong »

John,

Thanks for the advice, I've been meaning to get a digital instrument for some time but budget constraints have had quite the impact :')
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Richard Hull
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Re: Hello from Central Florida

Post by Richard Hull »

You will want a thermocouple gauge. This is often called a "TC" gauge among vacuum heads.

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
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Dennis P Brown
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Re: Hello from Central Florida

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Hello and welcome. Your overall approach is good; creating deuterium is a project in of its self and a very rewarding effort! Richard is correct, without a gauge that measures "microns", you are in the dark relative to your vacuum pump's capabilities. Remember, a high vac system is required for a fusor (to clean it) so vacuum gauges and high vac system's matter, too. Best of luck and looks like you have a good start and program outlined.
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Aidan Furlong
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2017 8:01 pm
Real name: Aidan Furlong
Location: Central Florida

Re: Hello from Central Florida

Post by Aidan Furlong »

Yes, I have heard much about the famed "TC" gauge. I have actually just bought a MKS 999 Quattro transducer for $50 in good condition that I was recommended. I know, a TC gauge should be the first one I use, but $50 is too good of an offer to pass up for something normally much more. Thank you for the insight and hopefully this endeavour works out.
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