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how does a xenon flash tube work?

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kamikaze33

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how does a xenon flash tube work/vent a capacitor?

does anyone know how these work exactly?
i need to turn the phototube from a disposeable flash camera into two electrodes

im confused which i should wire between
the capacitor trigger, and the 2 ends of the phototube
help?
 
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ooooooo k got it. **** then lol so how it works then is just the xenon doesnt conduct untill the capacitor trigger shocks the hell out of it, ionizing it and then it completes the circuit inside the tube?
if thats the case though, is there a way to vent the capacitor making it arc or w.e (i need a huge spark)
 
so how it works then is just the xenon doesnt conduct untill the capacitor trigger shocks the hell out of it, ionizing it and then it completes the circuit inside the tube?

Yes, except the trigger comes from a transformer, not a capacitor. Capacitors often sit across the two lamp electrodes, assisting with energy storage, but this has nothing to do with the trigger...
 
oh ok thanks alot haha sorry i dont know lots :S. i basically want to do what this guys done
**broken link removed**
except i dont understand how he turned the lamp nodes and the trigger into a working electrode-arc system
any explanations?
 
i dont understand how he turned the lamp nodes and the trigger into a working electrode-arc system - any explanations"

Yes. The article explains precisely what to do with the three wires from the camera's flash system. He bags the xenon tube and connects electrode material to the three wires:

"Referring to the following photo, there are the same three connections for the ignition electrodes as there was for the camera's flashtube. At either end are electrodes connecting to 300+ volts from the large capacitor. In the center is the trigger electrode, connected directly to the output from the trigger transformer. All three electrodes should almost meet at a single point."

Also, don't forget the following:

"The spacing is very critical, and this becomes a major issue when bits of the electrode get vaporized with each shot!"
 
A capacitor normally only vents when it is abused common examples of such abuse are: the voltage is reversed, the working voltage or ripply curren exceeded.

After a capacitor has vented, it's borken and needs replacing.
 
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