Well, Fusor III is off line again. Apparently, the HV insulator has failed once again as I was running at the bleeding edge. I have decided to set up a second fusion operation out of my large lab attached lab, upstairs in my indoor heated and air conditioned lab and library area.
Now that I have a good handle on operations and techniques, I can maintain two areas for the fusor effort. A test area out in my larger lab and a show and tell version upstairs in more comfortable surroundings.
I am a bit tired of freezing in the winter and burning up in the summer while running major fusor efforts. This will give me about 4 extra months out of the year for actual long term fusor work. It is mainly the cold winter months (Dec-Mar)that are killing me. The frustration with the recent failure of fusor III's insulator twice in three months has kicked me into working with fusor IV at the new setup.
The new place should have some computerized control and logging capability which I will have to link up and program for as well.
The move will take a while and when not hard at work on the place's modifications, I will continue to read, learn and report on interesting findings.
I am leaving the current setup in place. I have already moved a newly rebuilt 1402 Welch pump upstairs. Lotsa' planning ahead.
Richard Hull
Created on Sunday, January 14, 2001 6:22 PM EDT by Richard Hull