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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> The Violet (Death) Ray Generator - 2025.12.13 |
  
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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> The Violet (Death) Ray Generator - 2025.12.13 |
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In the 1890's, Tesla developed his infamous resonant coil which generated thousands or even millions of volts. When a high voltage is presented to a glass bulb (a Geissler tube) containing a low-pressure gas (air, neon, argon, nitrogen etc.), the gas is ionized and a plasma is generated. The plasma glows with an eerie light, varying from blue to purple to pink, depending on the voltage, current and the gas in the bulb. This is the same effect that drives modern neon lamps, fluorescent tubes and plasma globes.
By the 1920's, the perceived therapeutic effects of high voltage plasmas led to the development of the Violet Ray Generator. This [potentially deadly] device generated a plasma inside various uncomfortably-shaped glass electrodes, which could be applied to the body both externally and internally. I bought an original device made in 1920. When I opened it up, what I found was shocking... ⚡☠
!!! EXTREME WARNINGS !!!
These devices are often very old and are nearly always faulty. They could expose you to very high voltages which can be deadly! See Disclaimer. NEVER use these devices unless they've been restored and tested by a qualified electronic engineer. Even then, I wouldn't use it. And always connect it via a high quality circuit breaker.
Keep the probe well away from all electronic equipment, especially [USB] cables! The high voltage discharge will do A LOT of damage!
This device was made in Switzerland in the early 1920s, in the village of Igis in the canton of Graubünden.
This model could also generate ozone and came with an ozone inhaler, but mine was missing. The chromium tube on the front panel, which looks like a handle, connects the ozone generator to the brass socket for the ozone inhaler which was (thankfully) missing from my device.
Below is an American device which is almost exactly the same as the Swiss El Sol device. This is the "RenuLife Violet Ray Generator, Model R", made by RenuLife Electric Co, Detroit, Michigan. Which one is the original and which is the clone?
This picture shows the missing Bakelite ozone inhaler.
On this RenuLife device from the USA you can see where the the ozone inhaler is connected.
Here is the circuit for U.S. Patent #1506344, Violet Ray Generator, B. F. Jancke, Jan 31 1923. All the early Violet Ray devices are based on this circuit. The kicker coil is powered directly from the mains supply (120 or 220V AC). There is no isolation from the mains supply (70, 73).
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/e1/4c/65/0640fe596c1f44/US1506344.pdf
The device generates a very high voltage, several thousand volts, via an Oudin coil (Patented 1893, Paul Marie Oudin). An Oudin coil is a "magnetically coupled auto-transformer". Basically a Tesla coil with one end of the secondary coil connected to one end of the primary, whereas the secondary of a Tesla coil is fully isolated from the primary (the primary and secondary are not connected) with one end usually connected to ground.
A buzzer-like electro-mechanical 'interrupter' relay with a normally-closed contact is opened/closed by the 'kicker coil'. When power is applied, the contact opens and power flows through the coil to charge the capacitor. Once the capacitor is charged, current stops flowing and the contact is released. This discharges the capacitor through primary winding of the Oudin coil, generating a very high voltage in the secondary winding as the L/C circuit resonates. Eventually the contacts open and the cycle repeats.
Inductor/capacitor (L/C) resonance occurs for the period of time that the contacts are closed. The capacitor discharges into the inductor, which builds up a magnetic field. Once the capacitor has discharged, current stops flowing and the magnetic field collapses. The collapsing field generates a back-emf which re-charges the capacitor. Once charged, it discharges back into the inductor. The cycle repeats until the contacts open or until resistance losses reduce the resonance to zero. The resonant frequency may be very high, even into the radio frequency range. The resonant frequency has nothing to do with the open/close frequency of the kicker coil contacts. It's working in exactly the same way as the Ignition Coil Spark Generator design (go there to see a graphical image of the resonance process).
Some say the kicker coil is a Ruhmkorff coil. It is close, but the Ruhmkorff coil itself acts as the primary of a Tesla coil arrangement. In this violet ray design, the primary is in the separate Oudin coil. Maybe using a Ruhmkorff arrangement would have been better (saving one coil), but it was probably patented so they couldn't use it.
The high voltage in the secondary winding creates a plasma inside the glass probe when the circuit is completed by someone touching the other end of the probe. The probe insulates the user from direct contact with the high voltage - but it is still connected to the metal cap on the probe (6) and also to the mains voltage (61). I had expected the secondary would not be connected (at 61), as in a Tesla coil (but that's why it's called an "Oudin" coil), and the user's hand would provide the ground connection via parasitic capacitance (but then, with two grounds it probably wouldn't generate a plasma).
The interrupter's open/close pulse width can be adjusted over a small range by varying the distance of travel of the interrupter's contacts (screw thread at 41). This allows a small adjustment of the output voltage by adjusting the timing of the charge/discharge cycles. This adjustment changes the duration of the L/C resonance, allowing it to decay further if the contacts are closed for longer. Unfortunately it is easy to adjust it so the contacts are jammed open or closed so it stops working.
Modern plasma balls use a similar principle. Instead of an electro-mechanical interrupter, plasma balls use a modern solid-state switching circuit and much smaller high voltage transformer, often with a capacitor/diode voltage multiplier.
When first introduced, this "science fiction" device was said to be able to cure almost everything. Apparently it could cure dandruff, baldness, rheumatism, headaches, insomnia, leg and back pain, sciatic pains, impotence, brain fog, carbuncles, grey hair, haemorrhoids, lumbago, writer’s cramp, wrinkles, moles, warts, prostate cancer, mental illness, depression, and just about anything else you can think of which could be irradiated by the glass applicators, internally and externally. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s it was a very popular device.
However, there were an increasing number of complaints from customers saying it didn't actually work, and many doctors backed them up. Eventually, after several court cases, the devices were banned in the USA due to "misbranding". I find it strange that these devices were not banned because of their obvious lethal design flaws. They were banned only because they didn't actually cure anything, not because they killed their customers.
The probes produce small electrical discharges (sparks) which feel rather like vibrating needles. Some say this behaves in the same way as acupuncture needles, and they are probably right. But does acupuncture work?
Electrical stimulation has nerve-damping effects and is used by modern battery-powered [very safe!] TENS machines (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation - see the official NHS article). If TENS machines really work (not sure about that), then the Violet Ray device should work too because it does almost the same thing. (I tried a TENS machine some years ago after damaging my spine. It felt nice, but I think it was more of a distraction than a cure for the pain.)
We should not forget that the Placebo Effect can cure minor ailments and reduce pain, but only for those who believe it will work. Placebos also "work" for ailments which would cure themselves naturally without treatment. Assuming you don't get electrocuted first.
Matt's Tip #286: Never kill a customer.
Matt's Tip #287: Avoid buying Placebos, they are almost always fake.
The $2000 fine seems inadequate, considering the devices sold for up to $100 each and tens of thousands were sold.
The electrodes/probes/applicators were made of hardened glass, usually containing just a partial vacuum. These are 'Geissler Tubes' with a single connection, the other connection being supplied by contact with the victim.
Applicators of many shapes and sizes were available. Check out No.12, this is all metal and connects you directly to the high voltage output! Ouch!
And avoid getting No.17 and No.16 mixed up. Yuck!
My device was not working, but the tubes light up when held close to a plasma globe.
The front panel was in almost perfect condition. On the left is the mode selector - Ozone or Violet ray. Centre-top is the power switch, left = 120V, centre = OFF, right = 220V. Below that is a control to adjust the interrupter travel which varies the switching frequency applied to the Oudin coils. The higher the frequency, the higher the energy. Below that is a chromium pipe which carries the ozone from the ozone generator to the brass socket for the ozone mask. On the right is the power selector, high - low - off, which switches a resistance wire into the circuit to limit the current.
Inside, despite being over 100 years old, it looked almost new. But the insulation of the mains and probe cables (A and G) was brittle and cracked (unusable), as was the sleeving between the mains switch (F) and the kicker coil (J). The mains voltage selector switch (F) and interrupter contacts (E) were oxidised and did not connect.
The ozone generator was two pieces of thin aluminium foil glued to the outside of two glass sheets, with a separation of about 6mm (capacitance = 3pF, calculated from plate area and spacing). This created an electrical discharge between the aluminium plates to generate the ozone, but the foil was badly corroded. The ozone passed through the chrome pipe which you can see on the front panel, and connected to the brass ozone inhaler connector (H).
Off-cuts from the leather cloth used for the case were used to wrap and fasten the kicker coil (J), capacitor (I) and the Oudin coil (D) for the ozone generator.
Most of electrical connections were made using steel screws into the mahogany front panel through brass washers. This method is easy, cheap and very effective. No problems were found with these one-hundred-year-old connections. There was no rust on the steel screws, isn't it pre-stainless steel?
On my device there was no electrical connection between output of the Oudin coil and the metal plate on the bulb. I think there is a small isolation gap, but this is not shown on the Patent circuit or in my circuit below. I will open up one of the Oudin coils and find out - maybe these are in fact Tesla coils. I think it would be much safer of the secondary was not connected to the primary, as in a standard Tesla coil circuit.
After testing, I found that the capacitor was faulty (it measured only 150pF, but probably should be 10..47nF - the lower the capacitance the higher the resonant frequency), and the Oudin coil for the applicator module (connected to cable A) had no output. So the unit could not be easily repaired. But that's OK, because the design was so dangerous (see details below) that it should never be used anyway.
A |
Cable to applicator's Oudin coil (coil not working) |
B |
Mode selector (Ozon - Violette) |
C |
Ozone generator |
D |
Oudin coil for ozone generator (works well) |
E |
Adjustable interrupter, relay contacts |
F |
Voltage selector switch (120V - OFF - 220V) |
G |
Mains power cable |
H |
Ozone mask connection, via the chromium tube from C |
I |
Capacitor, 150pF (now), probably should be 10..47nF, 100nF was too big |
J |
Kicker coil |
K |
Resistance wire for power selector |
L |
Power selector (Stark - Schwach - Ausschalten) |
Here's a couple more pictures of the guts from different angles. Click the image to expand/collapse it.
The original capacitor was defective, so I (foolishly) replaced it with a 100nF 1000V capacitor (10..22nF is safer - a lower value increases the LC resonant frequency) and tested the ozone generator coil (the applicator coil was defective).
I got quite a shock! With very strong shocks to my hand from the end of the glass probe. The output was way too high (resonant frequency too low?). The spark was about 2.5cm in very dry air (26% humidity), that's 75KV! Luckily my mobile phone survived. You can also see the blue/white sparks from the kicker relay contacts.
After that, I replaced the capacitor with a smaller 22nF and the powerful shocks went away - but now the thinner spark was jumping over 3cm = 90KV! The LC resonant frequency (coil primary ~ 22nF) was higher, probably several MHz. Maybe I can find the frequency by viewing the interference with an SDR receiver.
☠
The circuit is fairly standard for an early device, with the addition of a voltage selector switch (120/220V), crude power level switch with resistance wire, and two Oudin coils (one for the ozone generator). The resistance wire controls the decay of the L/C resonance when the kicker contact is closed.
I am amazed there weren't hundreds of deaths from these devices. Or maybe there were, but they weren't reported because it could have a detrimental effect on sales.
Exposed controls at mains voltage!
This is the most dangerous feature. The front panel picture shows the exposed chromed control contacts. From the circuit diagram you can see that these are at mains voltage levels, and you can easily touch them. At 220V, it could kill you. At 120V, it would give you a nasty belt but you'd probably survive.
Not isolated from the mains
Mains voltage devices should be isolated via a transformer and have an earth connection, or they must be double-insulated. This device has no isolation and no earth. The external cables were double-insulated, but the controls on the front panel are not insulated or isolated at all!
Massive RF and mains interference
The kicker interrupter (a simple open-air relay contact) generates a lot of sparks which create radio-frequency interference. Because there is no mains filter, this interference is also fed back directly to the mains wiring which behaves like a transmitter aerial, making it even worse. Modern devices which generate such interference must have a mains filter, and even be enclosed in an earthed metal enclosure. While testing this device (with the Oudin coils disconnected) I could hear the interference in my computer headphones, so even the headphone cable was picking it up.
(When I was about 12, I made a spark generator from a 12V battery, a buzzer and a mains transformer, with two nails as a spark gap. This was basically the same design as the violet ray interrupter. Whenever I turned it on, our TV and our neighbour's TV pictures turned to snow. Luckily they didn't find out it was me. The violet ray device would do the same thing to an analogue TV.)
On a 220V supply, the 120V setting would probably burn out the kicker coil
This would put nearly 3 amps through the kicker coil, and could also overload the Oudin coils. The coils would overheat and melt the internal insulation. Maybe that's what happened to my device.
Not fused
If there's a short circuit somewhere and there's no fuse to blow or breaker to trip, then the coils will melt and the device will probably catch fire.
Not earthed
Mains voltage devices should either have an earth connection or be fully double-insulated.
Deadly to modern electronic equipment
If the probe gets too close to a communications cable, USB, Etherent, HDMI etc. or unprotected electronics, then it will almost certainly go bang! But the same is true for all Tesla coil devices.
Be careful when using the probes internally. Do not sit down or roll over!
If the glass breaks, you'll probably receive a very embarrassing electric shock. Followed by an even more embarrassing emergency visit to the hospital to remove the glass shards before they rupture your colon, or whatever.
Not recommended if you have a pacemaker
Pacemakers may not be resistant to several kV. But I haven't seen the results of any tests. I guess they didn't get enough volunteers.
Even if "restored", these devices are unsafe by modern standards! And they're probably illegal too.
You can buy restored violet ray devices on ebay, at auctions, etc. But I wouldn't use them - it's way too risky because all the above dangers probably still exist.
But there is a solution. Disconnect all the original circuity and install some modern electronics...
I wanted this device to work, but it could not be repaired. Even if it was repaired it would still be unsafe. Instead, I will replace the old parts with a modern isolated switch-mode circuit.
<this section coming soon, when the hardware is complete - I may need to wind a new Oudin/Tesla coil, so the coil is in the hand-held unit...>
Here is an interesting article from "Science and Invention" magazine, June 1931. How many deaths were caused by this article?
"The circuit is from the high voltage terminal to a nail in the subject's mouth..."
I suspect the unfortunate victim had read the "Science and Invention" article above. As suggested in the article, he connected a ground wire to the radiator. That's what killed him.
Oudin? Shortly before his death by electrocution ;-)
A 32MB PDF file containing the user manuals for all the Master Electric Co. Violet Ray devices. Hours of fun.
Master_Violet_Ray_Manuals_text.pdf
Some (sort-of) technical details from IEEE:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/violet-ray
This is an excellent Grokipedia entry about Violet Ray generators:
https://grokipedia.com/page/Violet_ray
The world's largest collection of Violet Ray user manuals...
https://archive.org/details/violet-ray-manuals/
Want to buy one in the UK? This could be the safest place...
https://violetray.co.uk/
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
A treatment that gives temporary pain relief. A TENS machine passes a weak [high voltage] electrical current to your nerves which can help ease pain.
(I suspect this relies on the renowned Placebo effect.)
https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/transcutaneous-electrical-nerve-stimulation-tens/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/15840-transcutaneous-electrical-nerve-stimulation-tens
Electrical Healing and the Violet Ray
A huge dissertation which attempts to prove the effectiveness of electrical stimulation. Apart from the TENS/Placebo effects, I'm not convinced.
https://www.arthurleej.com/Violet.pdf
