1-10 kV power supply recommendations DIY electrostatic motors

[Albertgauss]

TL;DR

I'm having trouble finding a high-voltage power supply in the range 1000 to 10,000 volts for Do-It-Yourself Electrostatic Motors--Looking for recommendations

I am trying some projects that involve building some very simple electrostatic motors. I attached below figures of the kind of electrostatic motors I am trying to make. What I can't figure out is what kind of high-voltage power supply I should use, presumably 1000 to 10,000 volts is what these websites recommended.

Can anyone recommend a model(s) or part number(s) of the correct high-voltage power supply to use?

I have got a couple of these motors to work using a Van De Graaff generator but I cannot select the output voltage to make the motors turn very well. I would much rather just use a power supply that can output the voltage that my Van De Graaff can output--far easier, cleaner, more efficient, and with user control on exactly what my output voltage is.

When I go to the internet, I get a whole mess of power supplies that are not 1,000 volts or more. I don't understand why so many power supplies that are 24, 48 volts etc come up when I goggle "high voltage power supply", "10,000 volt power supply", etc. How can I refine my internet search so that only 1,000 to 10,000 volt power supplies come up?

It seems that 1-10 kV power supplies should be readily available. There seem to be plenty of websites about how to build your own. I don't want to build my own High Vpltage power supply. I'd rather just get something off the shelf if I could.

From experience, what is the typical cost of such a power supply? Lots of websites want a quote and all that but they don't have their prices immediately available. What should I expect to pay for a 1,000 to 10,000 volt power supply?

 

[Rive]

How can I refine my internet search so that only 1,000 to 10,000 volt power supplies come up?

Usually, every niche of products has its own term. Up to a kV it's something like 'piezoelectric actuator power supply', for example.

There might be something for above 1kV too, but since this level of voltage not too often used in power low enough to be only moderately dangerous I recommend to stay with classic static electric sources and try to regulate the voltage instead.

Ps.: those cables on your pictures just does not count as 'insulated' on the mentioned voltages. To mix them with a power supply which has power (any mentionable level of power) behind is just:

 

[Borek]

Neon sign transformers used for burning Lichtenberg figures come to mind. They can be dangerous, no doubt about it.

 

[Albertgauss]

Yes, yes, I understand the danger with such voltages. I already know about that. I know how to insulate the wires. The two replies so far do not help me. A regular power supply---with all safety considerations established----would really help me a lot, much better than a Van De Graafff. If anything, I would have far more control and could even be safer as I would not need the full voltage of the Van De Graaff (that I am forced to use at max voltage as it is now since Van De Graaffs do not often have reliable, adjustable voltages).

 

[Guineafowl]

https://www.genvolt.com/application...ge-Bench-Power-Supply30W-Output-PowerGenvolt-
I searched “lab power supply 1kv 10kv”

Also, consider buying some 20kV-rated silicone leads to go with it ;)

 

[Tom.G]

As long as AC output is acceptable, a Neon sign transformer driven with a Variac on the input would meet your stated needs... probably at less cost than a lab power supply.

 

[Albertgauss]

I like "Guineafowl" answer the best. That HV looks like my best possibility and so I will start with that. Yes, the silicon leads are a good idea. I knew I had to buy wires and leads that can handle this kind of voltage output. The power supply suggested even has a max current output of 1 mA, which would be perfect. I was hoping for a low current like this but didn't post because I wasn't sure if I could have a current that low and still have up to 10,000 volts on a power supply. Also, I didn't search use those exact words; maybe "lab power supply" was what I needed in my google search.

I admit that I was confused about Borek's post, in that I had no idea what a Lichtenberg figures was. I did look up that application just now, and, while it is an application of High Voltage power supply, certainly seems like an outlier to what I was talking about here.

I need to read about "Neon sign transformer driven with a Variac". I had not known about that. Any suggested websites of people that show how to make this work as a High Voltage Power Supply?

 

[Borek]

Yep, Lichtenberg figures have nothing to do with your needs, neon sign transformer does.

Thing is, once you have a good high voltage source, trying to make Lichtenberg figures is a logical next step

 

[Baluncore]

Photocopiers and laser printers have high voltage supplies that drive the corona wires in parallel channels just outside the surface of the drum. You might salvage one of those HV supplies from a scrap machine. Pay attention to the input power requirements of the module.