ITC Bridge Forum: Static Detectors

[Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]: I have started seeing devices said to be able to detect "static electricity". Most of the units I have seen have been fairly inexpensive. Anyways........ If you want to give it a shot. It's pretty simple. The unit consists of a LM7805 voltage regulator and a CD4017 decade counter, two resistors, two LEDs, and a two electrolytic caps for the power supply. Basically just start with the voltage regulator to get your 5v for the 4017, wire power and ground to the 4017. Alternate outputs on the 4017 to the LED/resistor, and use a small length of solid copper wire hooked up to the clock input of the 4017, for an antenna. Hook your last output back into the reset and you are done. Rub a balloon on in your hair or on a wool sweater, you will see that the movement of the static field around the antenna causes the 4017 to clock to the next output quite fast, resulting in blinking LEDs. The antenna length determines the sensitivity of the circuit. Too long and it will twitch with no external field presence. Edit: Actually don't hook up output 9 to the LED, as the other outputs connected will reset the chip. Attached Image (viewed 358 times) : Last edited on Mar 7th, 2015 07:21 PM by Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz [Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]: Even Better! http://www.observationsblog.com/sciencetechnologyexperiments/-static-electricity-detector-easy-to-make [ArizonaEvp Super]: Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz wrote: Even Better! http://www.observationsblog.com/sciencetechnologyexperiments/-static-electricity-detector-easy-to-make I've built this before. Easy and it works. [psb7user2]: I, too,

have built this and do not understand why ebay is so full of people selling these for such high prices. They literally only cost about 2.99 to make, assuming you have solder, and soldering iron. [Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]: Well...... So much for me staying on top of things. I guess they have been around for years?...... I have seen them on Ebay for about $10, that's not terrible really for a handmade unit, componets, and an enclosure. I will probably build the FET dude at work tomorrow, and play around with it. I still like clocking the digital with static..... I kind of want to buy this "for my kid", to play around with. Pretty neat. Mini Van De Graaf. http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/ark-407/static-shocker-kit-for-kids/1.html Here is an OG static detector. Ha Attached Image (viewed 369 times) : [ArizonaEvp Super]: Every now and then I see a motorized treadmill at a yard sale pretty cheap. I start thinking about how the motor, belt and frame would make a great Van De Graaf generator. Waaa Haaa Ha [Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz]: This is a fantastic idea......