Deep In The Coils
Last year when I first noticed and mentioned the then-new-to-the-market Neon Wand electrical sex toy device that competes with the venerable violet wand at a much cheaper price point, I had a few people in meatspace ask me “So, what’s the difference?” And I was all “Umh, well, ya, it’s like, cheaper y’know, and solid state, no moving parts, and, um, maybe a little less powerful they tell me…” I’m good at interfaces and software, but I’m not the sort of guy who has to know how stuff works at the hardware level. (I own several screwdrivers, but when I’ve got one in my hand, something has gone seriously wrong, and odds are, some new shit is getting purchased real soon.)
Fortunately, mad scientists who do understand that tricky hardware stuff abound. One of them is Franklin Veaux, whose review of the Neon Wand contains the essential electronics/hardware discussion you’d never get out of me:
A lot of folks say that a violet wand is a Tesla coil. That’s not actually true. A Tesla coil is an air-cored resonant coil in which the primary and secondary windings share the same air core. You vary the output of a Tesla coil by varying the primary winding.
A violet wand is actually an Oudin coil–an iron-core resonant coil where the primary and secondary winding share the same iron core, and the primary winding is attached to a mechanical interrupter. You vary the output of an Oudin coil by changing the interrupter. In a violet wand, the interruptor is a magnet that vibrates very quickly; you change how strong the output is by turning a knob connected to a screw that actually changes the height of the vibrating magnet. That’s why violet wands always make that characteristic buzzing noise; you’re hearing the magnet vibrating.
The neon wand doesn’t use an old-fashioned Oudin coil at all; it’s entirely solid state. It uses a circuit board with electronics that are more similar to a camera strobe than they are to a resonating coil, though that’s a bit of an oversimplification. Basically, they’re an entirely different technology that does pretty much the same thing. These differences mean that the neon wand is way, way cheaper than a violet wand.
The more you know, right?
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Awesome. I may have to start saving for one of these!
See – all you need is a scientist to sort things out. Now let’s her from the ladies.
I am glad there are people who are engineers. The explanation is great and the changes in technology are just amazing. And for those so inclined to this kink, it is nothing but good news.
The author and commenters lamented the lack of a body paddle. Looks like it’s now available:
(meh, can’t correctly link due to spam block.)
Search the stockroom dot com for power tripper
Nice!
I used to work in an adult book store, and the range of devices was just astonishing. Is there some sex-crazed Edison somewhere inventing all these little toys in his basement workshop late at night? Do the patent clerks dread seeing him come in the door all the time? (*sigh* “It’s your turn, Sylvia. I dealt with him last time.”) Does he brag about his work at inventor conventions? (“Teah? Well, I invented the VibroMaster 3000!”)
Just askin’.
Hi!
Estheticians use similar devices (I’ll assume at slightly different frequencies) in skin care treatments to reduce bacteria to prevent infection.
I see the manufacturer doesn’t want to associate itself with a Tesla high-frequency machine, but from their description, it sounds pretty flippin’ similar. The electrodes can have either neon or argon in them (this manufacturer refers to Tesla’s as “air-filled”, and um, well, air contains neon and argon, so if you wana be vague like that, both are filled with air)… I’ve never heard of these being used for this purpose, so I think it’s pretty cool! looking forward to hearing what people think of it…