Fusor Forums

My best record run with fusor IV was during the 2010 HEAS event and I do not know if it is logged into the record section the Steve Sessleman maintains. The second best was at the 2012 HEAS and today I almost hit the same number as number two!!

Best ever run Oct 2, 2010 16.2 microns D2, 43.7kv @ 8.9 ma .....1,466,580 neutrons/sec isotropic....... 389 watts!

Second best run October 5, 2012 15.8 microns D2, 43.8kv @ 8 ma.....1,450,202 n/s..... 350watts!

Today Sept 24, 2016 13.7 microns D2 , 42.2kv @ 12ma.....1,434,820 n/s ......506 watts.... You have to have the watts, if you don't have the pressure.

From the above it it obvious Pressure at voltage is a real key player. pressure, pressure, pressure. 2 or 3 more microns can make a big difference as seen above.

Some images of Fusor IV are attached. (click on images to enlarge.)

Richard Hull

Wow, those are incredible numbers! What is it that makes the difference between your system and other, similarly sized and designed ones on this site? Is it mostly the quality of instrumentation and the setup itself, or having experience and an understanding of your specific system?

The big difference is me and not my system, which leaks like a sieve. If I seal off fusor IV's chamber when it is bottomed out from the diff pump, it leaks at a rate of about 1 micron every three or four seconds! Any vacuum head worth his salt would be agast! Still, it works because of me and in spite of rotten sealing. (good diff pump really helps)

I have said it once and will stress it over and over again. Operational experience and a special intimacy with your system and the way every thing in it works and behaves is number one!
Secondly, an educated operator is key. What holds newbies back is often not their gear, but a backgrounding in the skills and knowledge of physics, electonics and operation of a system like the fusor. A fusor only performs to its finest when functioning on a razor's edge between a melting grid runaway and just not cutting the mustard operating safely or in a sheepish manner.

Another holdback, number three, is instrumentation that is either non-extant or, if on hand, is worthless to the effort.

Why don't I break my vacuum sytem down and make it leak proof?? Sheer idleness and a "good enough" attitude. Far more important is the realization through 18 years of doing fusion that with my current power supply, even a perfect seal would not generate more numbers. Add to the foregoing, my motto, "if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it."..... "let a sleeping dog lie"

Not long ago, one of the lines in my signature salutation here after below my name was...."If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed" I hope the above sinks in, in a way you can understand.

Richard Hull

A totally new record set today during a best run ever!

13.1 microns, 43.5 kv, 14.6 ma. 1,605,380 n/s 635 watts Activated silver and rodium to 5 times background.
Hope I can do this again this Saturday for all present at HEAS.

Also changed out my deuterium tank. The current tank lasted 9 years of running the fusor. New 50 liter tank installed. Hate to run out of gas at HEAS

Richard Hull

Really impressive; maybe ITER people needs to call you?!

An aside: is your neutron detector a He3 or BF2?

The detector is a 22 inch long Reuter & Stoke 4 atmosphere 3He tube in a water moderator and calibrated from two binned BTI bubble dosimeters about 7 years ago. Details given in another ancient posting.

Fortune and good operatingconditions and practices payed off again today breaking my recent all time record.

14.2 microns of D2, 40.9 kv, 16.1 ma, 1,761,000 n/s isotropic. ....658 watts

HEAS 2016?.....Bring it on!

Richard Hull

Richard,

Glad to see the great neutron numbers for HEAS 2016! I will be bringing my bubble dosimeter which is about 6 months old (technically out of calibration, but still detects fine as of a month ago). In addition, I plan on bringing some indium foil for activation as well as my 3He probe. I am ready for some neutron fun!

See you soon.

Scott Moroch

I had finished my run on fusor IV and the diff pump was cooling when Frank Sanns knocked on the lab door about 9PM.(Thursday night) I cranked it all back up and we consistently hit 1.6 mega n/s and activated silver. Frank left just before midnight to get his motel room.

Indium is not the best for activation and beta counting compared to silver or Rhodium. I have both silver and indium here for activation. Tony de Angelis is here and has a 999 rhodium bar for use on Saturday. Indium is much better for Gamma spec viewing.

I have had two BTI dosimeters over the years and they are great for calibrating a homemade neutron counter within strict controlled limits.

Richard Hull

Richard,

Nice neutron numbers you are outputting there..

I input the latest run data into the fusion calculator and it outputs a Q = 3.27 e-9 which is better than your previously reported run, so I will update the record.

Your rank remains the same for now.

Steven