| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"L. Raymond" |
| Date: |
23 Aug 2006 02:35:50 PM |
| Object: |
OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Thanks.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 12:12:39 PM |
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Thanks to everyone who answered. Combining all the ideas you put
forth I would have found the info I wanted this morning, if Mr. Bilbo
hadn't beaten me it. It's a pity this thing can't be adapted to light a
window, but thanks to one of the sites I looked at
(http://www.powerlabs.org/plasmaglobes.htm) now I can at least tell him
where to get the data to make something similar if he feels like trying.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "Josef Balluch" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
23 Aug 2006 04:14:43 PM |
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In a message sent 'round the world, L. Raymond poured fuel on the fire
with the following:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Sounds like a plasma lamp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_lamp
The lamp requires a small electrode inside. Your windows will not have
the necessary electrode. As the article explains, the lamp is excited by
a high voltage AC field.
Regards,
Josef
Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest
is poetry, imagination.
-- Max Planck
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:17:42 AM |
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Josef Balluch wrote:
Sounds like a plasma lamp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_lamp
The lamp requires a small electrode inside. Your windows will not have
the necessary electrode. As the article explains, the lamp is excited by
a high voltage AC field.
It can't be this since the mug had nothing in it at all except for the
gas itself. There was no metal, no wires and no solid object at all
between the layers of plastic.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 04:45:32 PM |
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On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 17:14:43 -0400, Josef Balluch
<josef.balluch@sympatico.can> wrote:
In a message sent 'round the world, L. Raymond poured fuel on the fire
with the following:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Sounds like a plasma lamp.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_lamp
The lamp requires a small electrode inside. Your windows will not have
the necessary electrode. As the article explains, the lamp is excited by
a high voltage AC field.
Regards,
Josef
Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest
is poetry, imagination.
-- Max Planck
I think you'd at least be able to cause a blue glow in the window's
argon with that base. In the '30's they sold what amounted to a Tesla
coil in a hand held thing that you could plug various shapes of argon
filled tubes into. You placed the tube on the part of your body that
hurt and it glowed. It was highly effective but only for the finances
of those selling the damn things.
For the adventurous:
Open up your TV, take the big (usually red) wire that goes to the
side of the CRT, take it off (squeeze the plug sideways to retract the
prongs) then let it dangle in the air. Then in the dark, turn on the
TV and you'll see a blue corona around the end of the wire. You can
open the cage where the flyback transformer is, and draw a half inch
spark to a screwdriver that isn't even grounded. At least on the old
TV's that I worked on. There's about 30,000 volts there.
If you can glom onto a neon sign, discard the glass part, wire the
transformer to a set of wires in a "v" shape, about a half inch apart
at the bottom, three inches apart at the top. You'll have a Jacobs
Ladder, an essential prop in Frankenstein's lab! You may crash any
computer based things nearby, and really rough up AM reception for
blocks.
Actually, if you taped the wires from the transformer to the glass far
enough apart so as not to arc between themselves, you should get at
least a faint glow. Don't get near that, it's practically an open
circuit situation and at that voltage you may be selected as a shorter
path and part of the circuit. Even without being grounded.
(at any voltage, AC "jumps" but we only see (and/or feel) it at a high
voltage. You are always "capacitor coupled" to ground through air.
There's lots of voltage loss, but when you have 30,000 volts, the loss
doesn't matter so much. Once the air is ionized it's a conductor.)
Ironically, due to low current, (amperage) I think that sheer
electrocution is less likely than harm due to spasms caused by the
mere shock that may make you fall down or slam into something.
Naturally, a weak heart or any electronic implants throws a curve.
<200 ma OK- you get a shock. 200-400ma bad, fibrillation. >400ma you
lock up and hopefully fall away from the voltage source. Don't know
exactly where that's measured so be careful anyway.
:)
Sunyata
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| User: "Kevin Anthoney" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
23 Aug 2006 03:11:20 PM |
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L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Thanks.
I would guess the base emits UV light, which wouldn't pass through the glass
windows. Or it could be a high voltage, high frequency AC current, as in a
plasma globe (which is also filled with argon). If that's the case, I
guess the plastic would have to be conductive.
--
Kevin Anthoney
kanthoney[a]dsl.pipex.com
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:16:28 AM |
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Kevin Anthoney wrote:
I would guess the base emits UV light, which wouldn't pass through the glass
windows. Or it could be a high voltage, high frequency AC current, as in a
plasma globe (which is also filled with argon). If that's the case, I
guess the plastic would have to be conductive.
The windows I'm having put in are specifically treated to block UV, so
if it's that it definitely wouldn't work. I don't know about the AC
current, but if it makes a difference, I can touch the electric base
when it's on without being shocked at all. I expected to feel at least
a tingle, but when I didn't that's when I figured it had to be emitting
something other than electricity.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:58:17 PM |
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On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:11:20 +0100, Kevin Anthoney
<kevin_anthoney@hotmail.com> wrote:
L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Thanks.
I would guess the base emits UV light, which wouldn't pass through the glass
windows. Or it could be a high voltage, high frequency AC current, as in a
plasma globe (which is also filled with argon). If that's the case, I
guess the plastic would have to be conductive.
I think it would be the high freq AC, and the cup wouldn't have to be
conductive. A fluorescent tube should make a good display on your
friends base.
Let's see, if you took an old ignition coil, a mechanical buzzer and a
condenser, I bet you could light up your window. Or borrow that base
and hold it up to the window. :)
Put a light bulb in a microwave and give it *only *two *seconds,
you'll have eerie lights and an extremely *HOT* bulb. I don't suppose
they make microwave cup warmers, though. do they?
Rub your bed blanket with a fluorescent tube in the winter when the
humidity is low.
While your microwave is running, move the fluorescent tube around the
door and such and it'll light if it's leaking.
Brought to you from the makers of the Veeblefetzer.
Sunyata
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| User: "Tim McGaughy" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
23 Aug 2006 11:02:58 PM |
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L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Probably an oscillating magnetic field.
Dunno why it didn't work on the window. Maybe not enough free electrons.
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:46:00 AM |
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Tim McGaughy wrote:
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Probably an oscillating magnetic field.
I don't know if such a field would affect a compass, but I decided to
plug it in and check. It had no effect on the needle at all, but at one
point my thumb was touching a little metal ring on the compass which is
used to clip it to a lanyard, and when that ring touched the electric
base it got so hot that even though I moved it in less than a second,
I've already got a blister coming up.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 05:34:15 PM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:46:00 -0500, "L. Raymond"
<badaddress@mylinuxisp.com> wrote:
Tim McGaughy wrote:
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Probably an oscillating magnetic field.
I don't know if such a field would affect a compass, but I decided to
plug it in and check. It had no effect on the needle at all, but at one
point my thumb was touching a little metal ring on the compass which is
used to clip it to a lanyard, and when that ring touched the electric
base it got so hot that even though I moved it in less than a second,
I've already got a blister coming up.
Magnetic field, probably high freq. Try a light bulb or fluorescent.
(keep yr distance it may heat up and break)
That thing may be the best way to unformat any magnetic hard drive
almost instantly.
Sunyata
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
27 Aug 2006 02:38:55 PM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 22:15:52 -0500, Tim McGaughy <teekem@ispwest.com>
wrote in alt.atheism
Sunyata@wastherain.net wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:46:00 -0500, "L. Raymond"
<badaddress@mylinuxisp.com> wrote:
Tim McGaughy wrote:
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Probably an oscillating magnetic field.
I don't know if such a field would affect a compass, but I decided to
plug it in and check. It had no effect on the needle at all, but at one
point my thumb was touching a little metal ring on the compass which is
used to clip it to a lanyard, and when that ring touched the electric
base it got so hot that even though I moved it in less than a second,
I've already got a blister coming up.
Magnetic field, probably high freq. Try a light bulb or fluorescent.
(keep yr distance it may heat up and break)
I agree. Especially since I already said so.
A tesla coil can light up a flourescent light without even touching it,
and they make stoves that use magnetic fields to heat metal cooking
implements instead of heat elements or gas burners. They're supposed to
be safer around kids, because if a kid puts his hand on a heating area
even while it's on, he doesn't get burned.
That's correct. I used to build custom induction heating/forging
equipment. 2,000 amp SCR's anyone?
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 01:31:12 PM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:46:00 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Tim McGaughy wrote:
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Probably an oscillating magnetic field.
I don't know if such a field would affect a compass, but I decided to
plug it in and check. It had no effect on the needle at all, but at one
point my thumb was touching a little metal ring on the compass which is
used to clip it to a lanyard, and when that ring touched the electric
base it got so hot that even though I moved it in less than a second,
I've already got a blister coming up.
Okay, that sounds like they're using induction.
There are induction lamps out there that fire the gas without leads going
into the glass. Problem being in this case, I can't see (from the
pictures) any kind of electrode inside. Induction lamps usually have some
kind of electrode that converts the RF radiation into electric current.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
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| User: "Tim McGaughy" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
23 Aug 2006 11:17:44 PM |
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L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
A quick check of google seems to indicate that argon glows violet, not
orange.
How certain are you that that's what's in the mug?
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:13:39 AM |
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Tim McGaughy wrote:
L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
A quick check of google seems to indicate that argon glows violet, not
orange.
How certain are you that that's what's in the mug?
Not at all. That's just what my friend told me.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "AZ Nomad" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 12:54:32 PM |
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On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:35:50 -0500, L. Raymond <badaddress@mylinuxisp.com> wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
The argon in the plate glows by being ionized by high voltage flowing through
it in a circuit where there's only current flow when it leaks to a loaded
antenna.
You'd have better luck lighting up the argon with the HV from a tv set.
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| User: "AZ Nomad" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 01:57:12 PM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:54:32 GMT, AZ Nomad <aznomad@PmunOgeBOX.com> wrote:
On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:35:50 -0500, L. Raymond <badaddress@mylinuxisp.com> wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
The argon in the plate glows by being ionized by high voltage flowing through
it in a circuit where there's only current flow when it leaks to a loaded
antenna.
As somebody else pointed out, it not argon. Probably neon.
You'd have better luck lighting up the argon with the HV from a tv set.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
23 Aug 2006 09:51:24 PM |
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On Wed, 23 Aug 2006 14:35:50 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
I was talking to a friend the other day and mentioned I was going to
start putting new double paned windows in the house. When I said that
there's argon gas between the panes, he perked up and got out a little
electric doohickey that looks just like a cup warmer, and a little
plastic mug. Putting the mug on the plate made the mug glow orange. It
turns out it was made of two layers of plastic with argon in between
them and the glow, which is caused by the plate somehow, reacts to the
liquid and your hand. So, naturally, he asked me to bring it home and
see if it makes the windows glow. It didn't.
So my question is, does anyone know if it is possible to get argon
filled double paned windows to glow like the mug does? And what does
the electric base radiate that makes the mug glow?
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 AM |
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Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 05:46:14 PM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, "L. Raymond"
<badaddress@mylinuxisp.com> wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Did the mug come with the base? If so, it could have just a coil of
wire connected to the 120 volt AC from the outlet. The mug would have
a similar coil, sized such as to provide wattage (volts x amps) to
light even incandescent lights in the mug. It would also rapidly heat
a metal ring, even non-ferrous, I think. It won't affect a compass
needle because it is alternating north and south faster than the
needle can move. If you look closely, you may see the needle vibrate.
It may have demagnetized your compass, check it out with a known good
one.
House AC, 60 hz isn't high freq and won't make any gases glow from
electromagnetic radiation that I know of. It would have to be many
thousands of volts, not 120 or 240.
Sunyata
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 09:07:21 AM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
I think--just speculating here--you could probably pull off different
colors with some kind of phosphor but the easiest thing is just take the
color the gas gives you. I'd bet it's Neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
Rats! I'd kinda like to have one. Not to mention, the kid who used to
disassemble things at grandpa's house perked up and wants to know how it
works. <g>
(My maternal grandfather was an electrician and had all kinds of really
cool junk around. And being the first grandchild, when I dismantled
something out of curiosity, he found it amusing. My uncle complaining,
"you would have whipped me if I'd done something like that!")
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
It'd have to be pretty benign to be sold as a novelty item.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
As I think about it and Google around, I'd be leery. I believe Argon can
produce some UV. Which may be why you don't see the novelty bulbs from
decades ago I turned up while Googling. Some are quite striking with very
artistic filaments...
http://electriclights.tripod.com/bulbs/figuralargon.htm
Modern plasma discharge lamps don't use just Argon but mix in other gases
to manipulate the spectrum of the light. Cool as the thought is, lighting
up your windows might not be the best of ideas as the gas mix was aimed at
insulation, not illumination. Argon, I read, is very good at being a
thermal insulator because, left alone, it doesn't do much of anything.
Including it slows the transmission of heat because it's heavy and doesn't
want to move (kind of like me today <g>).
Which, now that I think, is another reason to suspect Neon instead of
Argon in the mug. No UV to fret about.
Thing is, what I know and have found is that the Noble gasses take a lot
of voltage to glow. But low amperage which makes plasma lamps and such
fairly benign. Amperage is what kills, voltage doesn't matter nearly as
much, a 12 volt car battery is far more dangerous than the tens of
thousands of volts in a plasma lamp.
But getting the voltage into the mug from a base... uh... how do they
manage to do that without interfering with electronics? And even more
amazing is somebody produced a product that doesn't have the company name
and logo stamped all over it? Half the time these days, the products are
billboard ads.
<grumble>
The only things I can find in the way of glowing novelty mugs use LEDs or
you stick a "glow stick" in them.
Wait, I have an idea. If you get another chance to look at it, maybe
there's a patent number somewhere? Patents are publicly available on the
web. If it's "pending," you can't search the applications (though the PTO
says they're going to open up that process), but if it has a patent
number, I could find out immediately how they do it.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 12:26:35 PM |
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Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
My maternal grandfather was an electrician and had all kinds of really
cool junk around.
Back in the 80's I came home from school one day and found out my dad
had taken the day off. He had gotten out his big Box-o-Neat-Things and
built a mad scientist display, including a Jacob's ladder. I still have
it, minus the climbing rods. He built the power source from scratch
back in the 60's though, and I'm not sure I'd know how to hook it up.
But getting the voltage into the mug from a base... uh... how do they
manage to do that without interfering with electronics? And even more
amazing is somebody produced a product that doesn't have the company name
and logo stamped all over it? Half the time these days, the products are
billboard ads.
No, it just says "Made in China".
Wait, I have an idea. If you get another chance to look at it, maybe
there's a patent number somewhere? Patents are publicly available on the
web. If it's "pending," you can't search the applications (though the PTO
says they're going to open up that process), but if it has a patent
number, I could find out immediately how they do it.
Excellent thought. I'd like to think I would have come up with that
one if I weren't so hazy right now (head cold).
--
L. Raymond
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 10:25:34 AM |
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On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
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| User: "Robibnikoff" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 02:35:22 PM |
|
|
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:yKGdnb63F7hzWXDZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@megapath.net...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
.
|
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| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 06:40:02 PM |
|
|
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:yKGdnb63F7hzWXDZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@megapath.net...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
Sunyata
.
|
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| User: "Robibnikoff" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
25 Aug 2006 09:41:03 AM |
|
|
<Sunyata@wastherain.net> wrote in message
news:l5ese2th6r5n4vhf45nt81saf2oeifbuhp@4ax.com...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
snip
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
I would, except they're expensive and I've given up alcohol. Can't see
drinking a diet coke out of there as being very exciting ;)
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
Atheist ***** Extraordinaire
#1557
.
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| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
25 Aug 2006 05:34:36 PM |
|
|
On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 10:41:03 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
<Sunyata@wastherain.net> wrote in message
news:l5ese2th6r5n4vhf45nt81saf2oeifbuhp@4ax.com...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
snip
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
I would, except they're expensive and I've given up alcohol. Can't see
drinking a diet coke out of there as being very exciting ;)
Not for beer. I could find uses for the base, tho. Showy, impressive
harmless, uses. :)
Sunyata
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 08:55:37 PM |
|
|
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 19:40:02 -0400, Sunyata wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:yKGdnb63F7hzWXDZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@megapath.net...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
Sunyata
I'm having second thoughts. If you get anything metal on the stand, it'll
heat that sucker up fast...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"As hip as it is for outsiders to blame New Orleans
for everything bad that happened during and after
Hurricane Katrina, the truth is that the people
who lived here were much more prepared for a big
storm than the federal government that promised
us flood protection." [Jarvis DeBerry]
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V180525DC
"Everything New Orleans"
http://www.nola.com
.
|
|
|
| User: "" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
25 Aug 2006 05:32:41 PM |
|
|
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:55:37 -0500, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 19:40:02 -0400, Sunyata wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:yKGdnb63F7hzWXDZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@megapath.net...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
Sunyata
I'm having second thoughts. If you get anything metal on the stand, it'll
heat that sucker up fast...
Perhaps a butterknife?
Sunyata
.
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| User: "stoney" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
27 Aug 2006 02:35:52 PM |
|
|
On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:32:41 -0400, wrote in
alt.atheism
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:55:37 -0500, "Mark K. Bilbo"
<gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 19:40:02 -0400, Sunyata wrote:
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:35:22 -0400, "Robibnikoff"
<witchypoo@broomstick.com> wrote:
"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:yKGdnb63F7hzWXDZnZ2dnUVZ_sCdnZ2d@megapath.net...
On Thu, 24 Aug 2006 03:24:46 -0500, L. Raymond wrote:
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Okay, something odd is going on here. So far as I know, Argon doesn't
produce an orange glow. That's Neon. Argon is a violet looking color.
My friend was just guessing about the gas, and I have no trouble
believing it is neon.
It sounds somewhat like a plasma discharge lamp but I have no idea how
they'd be lighting it up. Where did he get it? What's it called? I've
Googled all over the place but can't find anything that's like it.
That's why I'm frustrated. He's seriously into alcohol - not a drunk,
but a wine snot - and he got it as a present from someone who knows he
likes liquor related things. He couldn't remember who gave it to him,
when, or where it came from. He had no booklet to go with it, and the
base itself only says it won't interfere with household electronics.
When I touch the surface of the base, there's no tingling or any other
sensation at all, no buzzing or humming that I could hear, and no warmth
that I felt, although I didn't leave it on for long.
With my vast lack of knowledge about these sorts of things, I figured
I didn't stand a chance trying to hunt through a search engine and I was
hoping it was a common enough novelty that somebody here was familiar
with it.
By the way, this is the guy who did that Halloween trick with the dry
ice and the glow sticks in his gutter, so I know why he was curious if
we could get my windows to light up.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Ooooh! Nifty :)
I'm gettin' one. Post haste.
Sunyata
I'm having second thoughts. If you get anything metal on the stand, it'll
heat that sucker up fast...
Perhaps a butterknife?
cook breakfast.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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| User: "L. Raymond" |
|
| Title: Re: OT: Q. for Gadgeteers |
24 Aug 2006 12:09:25 PM |
|
|
Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I think we have a match:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/mugs/60c3/
Yes, that's it.
I must have been thinking about all the answers I got last night
because when I woke up this morning it occurred to me to wonder if my
friend had misunderstood what he was told when he got this thing. He
distinctly said it was a plastic mug, but to me it felt like a very
weird, smooth kind of plastic. I was so taken by the effect, though, I
didn't bother to look at it closely. Anyhow, I was in the middle of
doing a new search using "plasma mug" instead of plastic when I see you
beat me to it.
--
L. Raymond
.
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