An economical high-voltage power supply project has been developed by Sebastian from Baltic Labs. The primary element of this endeavor is a commercial power source specifically tailored for a 50-watt CO2 laser tube, most likely sourced from VEVOR, a company striving to be a comprehensive hub for various tools and materials. Despite initial doubts regarding the brand, the power supply’s structure appears robust, nestled in a rack-mount enclosure with crucial controls, including a securely-covered toggle switch. Two ammeters indicate current and voltage, with the voltage being supervised by a high-voltage resistor boasting an impressive 1 gigaohm capacity. Even though the high-voltage feedthrough on the front panel is rudimentary, featuring a plain rubber grommet, it, alongside the insulation of the high-voltage output lead, is considered satisfactory.
The power supply offers a 30 kV output, catering to Sebastian’s requirements for his spark gap experiments as showcased in the accompanying video. While he acknowledges the availability of commercial supplies providing 50 kV outputs, selecting one of those would entail a higher cost compared to the $150 budget allocated for this undertaking. Alternatively, Niklas from Advanced Tinkering presents an enticing custom-built design for a high-voltage supply that also merits consideration. Irrespective of the chosen approach, practicing vigilance is vital as incidents involving high voltage can yield severe consequences, as exemplified by Sebastian’s own encounter with a 50 kV flyback supply.
Watch the video below to witness Sebastian’s spark gap experiments:
