I Knew About Steel Wool, and Had A Potato Clock...

Here's a great video where a guy uses a lemon to get substantial enough current to ignite steel wool. I keep steel wool tucked away in survival kits for just this purpose, along with things like cotton balls and what not.
This guys demonstration is pretty impressive.

I will be trying to replicate it as part of my list of things to do next month.:wink:

[video=youtube;Bv2vT665bGI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv2vT665bGI[/video]

That is just too cool! Thanks for posting Top!

Maybe someone could build a lemon powered car and call it a "Real Lemon".

Cool, but I am still cringing at his horrible interpretation of a Russian accent.

When I made knives, I used to use two 6V batteries together,(My old rocket launching ones,) and a vinegar salt water solution and stencils to etch things onto the blades.
I love seeing the power of electricity used at this scale!

danielsadjadi said:

Cool, but I am still cringing at his horrible interpretation of a Russian accent.

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He's Swedish.

It is hard to believe it makes enough current, but I suppose... Very cool if it is actually real! Let us know if you are able to replicate this, I will give it a try with my students.

RocketFeller said:

It is hard to believe it makes enough current, but I suppose... Very cool if it is actually real! Let us know if you are able to replicate this, I will give it a try with my students.

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That's why I posted it here.
I knew it would be scrutinized by analytical minds.
He claims 5V, but I have ignited steel wool with even less than than, but never measured things like amperage, I just know what works, and what doesn't.
I will attempt to re-create it, as I love to experiment with everything I am interested in, but I'm way over budget right now, so I can't even afford the measly sum it would cost to recreate this.

Zeus-cat said:

He's Swedish.

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It sounds very much like he is mocking a famous Russian youtuber who makes survival guide videos, "Tarus Kul" His entire video is written like a video he would make. The introduction is nearly identical.

danielsadjadi said:

It sounds very much like he is mocking a famous Russian youtuber who makes survival guide videos, "Tarus Kul" His entire video is written like a video he would make. The introduction is nearly identical.

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That fact is inconsequential to if or not the experiment can be replicated.

tmacklin said:

That is just too cool! Thanks for posting Top!

Maybe someone could build a lemon powered car and call it a "Real Lemon".

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Imagine all the juice that would require... However, if life gives you lemons...

We did this (minus the fire part) in middle school science class. Our arrangement of the clips/nails was a bit different (our teacher arranged them linearly instead of staggered) but the concept was the same. We measured it at about 3.5 volts and were able to light LEDs and make a filament flashlight bulb glow weakly. No doubt at all that it would spark steel wool. I had forgotten about this. It's awesome. I'm going to do it with my boys soon. Thanks for the reminder.

Marc

I wonder if two lemons wired in series would provide enough juice to activate an Estes starter?

tmacklin said:

I wonder if two lemons wired in series would provide enough juice to activate an Estes starter?

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One can hope, as that is of course where I hope this thread end up.
You could set the Lemon battery close to the pad, then trigger it with some type of "Rig", so you don't have to be standing right next to it.
I was thinking the bread tag clothes pin switch would be perfect for this.
I have some superfine Nichrome that heats up if I stare at it long and hard, so I'm betting I could launch a rocket with a lemon if the experiment as seen is repeatable.