Plasma Ball Aging?

[apollo2011]

Hi everyone!

 

I got a small plasma ball off eBay in April. I have it on a timer so its on from about 7:00PM to midnight. Over time, I have begun to notice that it doesn't seem to be as vibrant as it used to be. Is there some component that will slowly die after awhile or after a certain amount of use, or is there something wrong with it?

[mmalluck]

It's most likely that the high voltage source in your plasma globe is wearing out or that the frequency of the high voltage source has drifted away from some optimal point.

 

I once had a plasma globe that included two pots. One to select audio sensivity, the other altered the operating frequency. Yours may have the same.

 

If it were a problem with the leaking gas (in or out), you'd see a dramatic change in it's intensity, but what you describe is a slow change, so most likely not.

[ecoli]

what's a plasma ball?

[Sisyphus]

what's a plasma ball?

 

Well, the sun is one, as well as 99% of the matter in the universe, but I'm guessing he means something more like this:

 

http://www.egglescliffe.org.uk/physics/fun/plasma/plasma.html

[apollo2011]

Thanks mmalluck,

 

I think it probably is what you said, it only has an On/Off and a sensitivity switch, which is turned up all the way.

 

If I got another one, would this same problem happen or might that one not experience this problem?

[YT2095]

if it`s an identical model and make, then it may suffer the same design flaw, so yes quite possibly.

a Different one may not though, I have one here that`s been in use now for over 6 years, and it`s as "good" as it ever was.

the only part that takes any real "Stress" in that cct is the drive transistor for the step-up coil, other than that, there isn`t really much active to wear out per se.

[apollo2011]

Thanks YT2095

 

I was thinking that if I got another one it wouldn't be the same one so that answers my question.

[PossesedSporks]

Is there any way to get the ball to return to how it was like before it wore out?