yeah I've never seen the video either. It's probably not really that exciting though, the flashover lasts mere microseconds.

In reply to your comment:
“Hey gluonium, the Z machine is getting new electrical circuits that will do away with the cool light show depicted in your avatar, kinda sad in a way, but good in so far as yeilded efficiency:
http://www.physorg.com/news96730015.html

If you ever find a video of a test firing of the Z machine, prior to the upgrade, I would be eternally grateful, I've looked to no avail. ”

Nice post, Clayton, that was well-written. Y'know, we have some enormous flywheels at my uni, they store energy for experiments at our plasma physics lab. I haven't seen them personally, but I've heard they're monstrous - supposedly, there's enough energy in one flywheel (about 600 tons) to roll it (assuming no obstacles or whatnot) to the nearest ocean.

Anyways, I've dropped you an invite to my Science collective, if you care to join. Cheers.

In reply to your comment:
“Yes, it could be done by a use of a simple cam and spring, but the point is that even with an extremely effiecient cam and roller setup you'll never get, or exceed, the energy required to operate it out of the system. It would require equal, 100% effieciency, or greater for operation. Remember that moving the single magnet back and forth is, at least in one direction, met with resistance. That restistence is surely greater that the energy output of the shaft of the wheel.

A few years ago I researched some of the most effiecient energy storage systems on the market, they use a high speed composite fly wheel and an electric motor/generator. They were contained in a vacuum, to eliminate air turbulence, and they use active magnetic bearing to levitate nearly reducing friction. Nearly, because even when minimized there are still sources of loss inherent in magnets, like magnetic hysteresis and eddy currents. I was pretty impressed, Active Power for example claims 98% energy efficiency. 100% or more is simply not possible. ”