Description
A small easy to build Lightning detector kit, capable of detecting lightning from up to 10 miles away, giving an audible and visual alarm. The visual alarm has a flash and a storm LED and an acrylic edge lit display, which gives both an instantiations lightning indication and an indication that lightning has occurred in the last few minutes.
Although using a simple circuit, the kit has a sensitive tuned radio frequency front end that detects the burst of 160Khz that lightning storms emit (which you can hear as a click on old style radios during lightning storms) .
This lightning detector kit will also pick up other sources of electrical discharge, like a piezo or electronic gas lighter, and old car ignition, electrostatic discharge or sparks from many of the high voltage devices we sell.
Because of this it can be used as a receiver in demonstrations of early spark based radio transmitters, or as an indication of charging of electrostatic devices such as Wimshurst machines Cockcroft Walton multipliers and van de Graaff generators.
The lightning detector kit is made with 100% through hole components and so is an easy kit to solder and comes with an acrylic base and etched edge lit display. It also features a 400mm telescopic ariel for enhanced reception. The kit is powered from 3 AAA cells and can work for than 3 months running in standby so can be sat monitoring for lightning 24/7.
Note: This kit is not designed to be used for lightning detection required to give any safety related lightning warning, It is for learning and demonstration purposes only.
