on video How to Make a Plasma Arc Lighter - DIY Electric Lighter

 

This Arc Lighter lights fires with an electric arc. This arc can ignite paper because it essentially a stream of electrons flowing at a very high speed through a section of ionized air. These electrons, because of their high velocities, transfer a large amount of energy into the piece of paper placed in between the two electrodes. This energy causes the paper to ignite. Now, the potential difference between the two electrodes needs to be relatively high to overcome the breakdown voltage of air. This potential difference, or voltage needs to be at an upwards of 20,000 volts. This voltage is produced by an oscillator circuit and step up transformer.

The circuit starts with the 110 volt AC main voltage. This voltage is then stepped down to 10 volts AC by a main transformer. This voltage is then rectified and filtered to produce a clean 10 volts DC. This is then fed into the oscillator section of the circuit.

The oscillator uses a center tapped coil of 2 ohms, a transistor, and a resistor. The voltage initially comes in through the center tap. It proceeds to flow through the feedback coil, through the resistor, and into the base of the transistor. This makes the transistor start conducting current. It conducts the current through the primary coil to ground. This causes a rise in the magnetic field of the transformer's core. This rise in magnetic flux induces a current in the feedback coil opposite to the voltage flowing to the base. This shuts down the transistor and it stops conducting. After this, the magnetic flux in the core rapidly decreases causing current to flow into the transistor base once again. After this, the cycle repeats itself about 30000 times per second.

This rapid change of the magnetic flux in the core of the transformer induces a current in the high voltage secondary coil. Because of the high winding ratio of the secondary to primary coils, the voltage is significantly higher.

Now that you know how this circuit will work, its time to build it.

 

This Arc Lighter lights fires with an electric arc. This arc can ignite paper because it essentially a stream of electrons flowing at a very high speed through a section of ionized air. These electrons, because of their high velocities, transfer a large amount of energy into the piece of paper placed in between the two electrodes. This energy causes the paper to ignite. Now, the potential difference between the two electrodes needs to be relatively high to overcome the breakdown voltage of air. This potential difference, or voltage needs to be at an upwards of 20,000 volts. This voltage is produced by an oscillator circuit and step up transformer.

The circuit starts with the 110 volt AC main voltage. This voltage is then stepped down to 10 volts AC by a main transformer. This voltage is then rectified and filtered to produce a clean 10 volts DC. This is then fed into the oscillator section of the circuit.

The oscillator uses a center tapped coil of 2 ohms, a transistor, and a resistor. The voltage initially comes in through the center tap. It proceeds to flow through the feedback coil, through the resistor, and into the base of the transistor. This makes the transistor start conducting current. It conducts the current through the primary coil to ground. This causes a rise in the magnetic field of the transformer's core. This rise in magnetic flux induces a current in the feedback coil opposite to the voltage flowing to the base. This shuts down the transistor and it stops conducting. After this, the magnetic flux in the core rapidly decreases causing current to flow into the transistor base once again. After this, the cycle repeats itself about 30000 times per second.

This rapid change of the magnetic flux in the core of the transformer induces a current in the high voltage secondary coil. Because of the high winding ratio of the secondary to primary coils, the voltage is significantly higher.

Now that you know how this circuit will work, its time to build it.

 

This Arc Lighter lights fires with an electric arc. This arc can ignite paper because it essentially a stream of electrons flowing at a very high speed through a section of ionized air. These electrons, because of their high velocities, transfer a large amount of energy into the piece of paper placed in between the two electrodes. This energy causes the paper to ignite. Now, the potential difference between the two electrodes needs to be relatively high to overcome the breakdown voltage of air. This potential difference, or voltage needs to be at an upwards of 20,000 volts. This voltage is produced by an oscillator circuit and step up transformer.

The circuit starts with the 110 volt AC main voltage. This voltage is then stepped down to 10 volts AC by a main transformer. This voltage is then rectified and filtered to produce a clean 10 volts DC. This is then fed into the oscillator section of the circuit.

The oscillator uses a center tapped coil of 2 ohms, a transistor, and a resistor. The voltage initially comes in through the center tap. It proceeds to flow through the feedback coil, through the resistor, and into the base of the transistor. This makes the transistor start conducting current. It conducts the current through the primary coil to ground. This causes a rise in the magnetic field of the transformer's core. This rise in magnetic flux induces a current in the feedback coil opposite to the voltage flowing to the base. This shuts down the transistor and it stops conducting. After this, the magnetic flux in the core rapidly decreases causing current to flow into the transistor base once again. After this, the cycle repeats itself about 30000 times per second.

This rapid change of the magnetic flux in the core of the transformer induces a current in the high voltage secondary coil. Because of the high winding ratio of the secondary to primary coils, the voltage is significantly higher.

Now that you know how this circuit will work, its time to build it.

 

This Arc Lighter lights fires with an electric arc. This arc can ignite paper because it essentially a stream of electrons flowing at a very high speed through a section of ionized air. These electrons, because of their high velocities, transfer a large amount of energy into the piece of paper placed in between the two electrodes. This energy causes the paper to ignite. Now, the potential difference between the two electrodes needs to be relatively high to overcome the breakdown voltage of air. This potential difference, or voltage needs to be at an upwards of 20,000 volts. This voltage is produced by an oscillator circuit and step up transformer.

The circuit starts with the 110 volt AC main voltage. This voltage is then stepped down to 10 volts AC by a main transformer. This voltage is then rectified and filtered to produce a clean 10 volts DC. This is then fed into the oscillator section of the circuit.

The oscillator uses a center tapped coil of 2 ohms, a transistor, and a resistor. The voltage initially comes in through the center tap. It proceeds to flow through the feedback coil, through the resistor, and into the base of the transistor. This makes the transistor start conducting current. It conducts the current through the primary coil to ground. This causes a rise in the magnetic field of the transformer's core. This rise in magnetic flux induces a current in the feedback coil opposite to the voltage flowing to the base. This shuts down the transistor and it stops conducting. After this, the magnetic flux in the core rapidly decreases causing current to flow into the transistor base once again. After this, the cycle repeats itself about 30000 times per second.

This rapid change of the magnetic flux in the core of the transformer induces a current in the high voltage secondary coil. Because of the high winding ratio of the secondary to primary coils, the voltage is significantly higher.

Now that you know how this circuit will work, its time to build it.