Creating Plasma in a Microwave

Plasma PreviewAfter speaking with John Cohn and hearing about this experiment I just had to try it. Video recording is rough but you’ll get the idea. Soon I will be ramping this up when I start my series of microwave oven experiments where we will build everything from a high voltage power supply to a smelter and maybe just maybe a Microwave Death Ray (ok maybe just a herf gun).

Don’t try this at home!

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Microwave Deathray

Magnetron
There is something called a Magnetron, not to be confused with Megatron,  inside your microwave. This is the primary component that vibrates the molecules of what you are heating in your microwave to generate heat. Mmmm in the words of Jim Gaffigan Haaaot Pocket!

Ok so it’s not necessarily a death ray but I wouldn’t want to put my junk in front of one. Ever heard of a herf gun? A herf gun is a directed energy weapon. Boeing’s CHAMP recently put on a show taking out targeted computers using one. Supposedly a crude herf gun can be built attaching a waveguide or horn antenna to the output of the magnetron.

Original video was pulled from Youtube updated 7/10/2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mjua2e8Y7k

Someone else’s crazy project

Note from wiki “a 1.1 kilowatt input will generally create about 700 watts of microwave power”

What I’d like to do

  • Build a Faraday cage so that I can safely perform testing
  • Get one of these powered up with an inline dimmer switch so that I can control the output
  • Build a horn antenna to attach to the Magnetron so that I can control the direction of output
  • Use some equipment to measure the emitted power with in controlled area
  • Use a frequency counter to get a reading of what range is play
  • Cook food from a distance
  • Light up bulbs in a field
  • Destroy some electronics

Related Projects on Instructables

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Click here to browse through posts written about my interests in Microwave Projects

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