ELECTRi-FRiED |
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Building a Bio-ElectroStatic Generator
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UPDATE !
Check out the new ELECTRi-FRiED II webpage at phrets.com/electrifried2 |
| Note: It wouldn't be fair not to give a nod to the author of the "Pikashoes" website, from whom I got the inspiration and knowledge to do this project. I've seen similar projects on the web, even plans for sale, but until I saw that site, I didn't realize that all you really needed to get the job done was just a negative ion generator ! |
 Obviously the first order of business will be to procure a 12VDC negative ion generator, such as the one sold at Electronic Goldmine. This alone constitutes about 90% of the project, fortunately. The only other items necessary are a power source (battery !) and a switch, some wire, and preferably some heat shrink tubing. |
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| Originally, I had planned to mount everything inside a project box, but none that I found locally were suitable, they were all either too small or just too bulky. Instead I resigned myself to having parts that would be more or less exposed, somehow. Therefore, to prevent accidental discharges by brushing up against the battery, which has a metallic casing, I wrapped it in heat shrink tubing. |
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| The switch I chose was a standard Radio Shack pushbutton, momentary type. I planned to mount in something that I could just keep in my front right pocket, and whenever I need a charge, I'd just nonchalantly slide my hand in my pocket and press the button. Fortunately, I discovered that this particular swtich had a unique "property" - it fit perfectly into a chapstick container!  All that is necessary is to extend the chapstick all the way out, and pull the stuff off, then you can pull the bottom off. I soldered wires to each of the switches leads, fed them in through the top end of the containter, and then seated the switch in the chapstick container, where it fit so snug that I didn't even need to use any glue. As an added plus, the cap even still fits on the chapstck. Last but not least, I thread the wires through the internal base of the chapstick container, the pink part that actually pushes on the chapstick. It has a small hole through which the threaded "screw" piece twists through to advance the chapstick. It was just big enough to accomdate the two wires perfectly, and keep dirt and crud out of the casing. |
  
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The general design is quite simple: It's essentially just a loop, from one terminal of the battery, to the switch, to the Ion generator, and back to the other terminal of the battery. There is the addition of a ground wire, which I chose to run from the positive terminal of the battery; this serves to provide a point of reference for the High Voltage output line of the Ion Generator. The ground wire needs to be a well insultated wire, which runs down your pant leg, and attaches to the bottom of your shoe. Good rubber soles or something to provide insulation is key here; you want to separate the two electrical sides of the generator as much as possible. |
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The high voltage wire, also known as the Ion Antenna, is what makes direct body contact and provides the charge, making your body, in essence, a capacitor, storing a charge up to 15,000 volts, but passing very little current. I would have left the wire longer, but it broke where I'd soldered, and subsequent attempts to strip it did not go well, leaving me a few inches shorter than I would've liked. For now, I just soldered an alligator clip on the end of it, which I then clip on to a bankers clip, which I can slide down my waistline. |
| In the picture, you can see a small metal clip I found; I think it's from a 5 /14 computer bay rail. I found that it fit around one of the small bumps in the design of the bottom of my sneaker very nicely. |  |
| Here's the finished prototype, with the IG, battery, and wiring stuffed into my old cell phone case. The switch runs from the case to my front left pocket; I used more heatshrink to bind the two wires together and help mask them. The green ground wire runs down the pant leg and connects to that metal clip, which fits on the sneaker. |
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Well, this was just a proof of concept for me - I'm far from satisfied with the results, but at least it works ! Next, I'm going to rearrange everything to fit onto a leg strap that will fit around my shin/calf. The benefits should be obvious: shorter ground wire, making for less dielectric leakage, easier body contact by having the band around the leg, and easier to hide - nothing on the belt for anyone to see. I'll be sure to post everything here when I cross that bridge. Watch for updates ! Copyright 2006 by "Mystician" (Paul Higginbotham) |
| Standard disclaimer stuff: I am not responsible for any injuries sustained or inflicted if you decide to make one of these yourself. I merely offer this guide for those knowledable and handy with a soldering iron and some electronics experience. Do not use this device on people with pacemakers or suspected heart conditions. |