Adding_A_Motor_To

Adding A Motor To Dirod

March 14, 2005 was a rather special day in my quest to build electrostatic motors. I was looking at Dirod in the morning, and realized that the wooden mount for my Naudin motors would fit on top of Dirod, between the spark gap spheres. All I needed to do was to narrow the base board by 1/2 inch on each side, place a couple of wooden blocks on top of Dirod to bring the level of the motor's rotor up to the level of the spheres, and remove the beer can stators. Once done, the rotor turned nicely, with a gap to the spheres of about 1/8 inch. This new motor configuration is shown in the photograph.

This view from the top shows the original Naudin motor, minus the beer can stators, sitting on top of Dirod between the two spark gap spheres. Notice that the base board of the motor has been rotated relative to Dirod. Thus, the points of closest approach of the spheres are not opposite to one another relative to the rotor. Even so, this motor still runs. Why?

Click for larger view

Since there are no leads connecting Dirod to the motor, the rotor of the motor should receive the maximum possible voltage. Certainly, the noise of the corona discharge seems louder than with any of the other motors.

There are several interesting observations about this motor. When it is running in the dark, I see strong coronal discharges from each sphere to the rotor. With the spheres offset as shown in the picture, coronal discharge luminosity extends from the point of nearest approach of the sphere towards the area of the rotor that is opposite the other sphere. I am not sure where the luminosity arises. It could be on the outer surface of the plastic covering of the rotor, or possibly between that sheet and the aluminum tape covering the rotor bottle. The glow is less intense than the coronal discharge from the sphere. I have looked at the surface glow when the spheres were only slightly offset, and with the offset shown in the photo. In both cases, the surface glow went about as far as the area opposite of the other sphere.

The maximum gap between the spheres and the rotor at which the motor still runs is about 5/16 inch.

Finally, I noted that the rotor picks up considerable charge. When Dirod is stopped and the rotor has stopped turning, I can feel and hear discharges as I run my finger anywhere close to the surface of the rotor.

Adding A Motor to Dirod

Interpretations Part 2

Interpretations

Interpretations Part 3