Hi Guys Hoping to get some ideas from out there in labland. We are having trouble getting much of a charge from our ebony rods (are they really ebony??) any suggestions to increase the charge, we use wool cloth, some of the rods are matt some gloss finish does this mean anything Yours again in anticipation MariaC
Put all the cloths and the rods in a drying oven at a temperature similar to a clothes dryer for about 20mins...works wonders.
Failing that dry off cloths and rods using a hair dryer.
The hair dryer works on the dome of the Van de Graaf if it is a high humidity day as well
I think the rods are actually ebonite, possibly or probably made from bakelite! All the ones we use are smooth and shiny. The ones we have in store and not used yet are dull. Are you using the correct cloth with the correct rod? Ebonite with wool and perspex with silk.
Thanks for those thoughts guys, we had had alot of rain but the perpex rods worked fine, and yes we are using the correct cloth with the rods I think I'll try heating as suggested and see how that goes. Ill keep you posted cheers Maria
Hoping to get some ideas from out there in labland. We are having trouble getting much of a charge from our ebony rods (are they really ebony??) any suggestions to increase the charge, we use wool cloth, some of the rods are matt some gloss finish does this mean anything 
Yours again in anticipation 
MariaC
Thanks for those thoughts guys, we had had alot of rain but the perpex rods worked fine, and yes we are using the correct cloth with the rods 
I think I'll try heating as suggested and see how that goes. Ill keep you posted 
cheers Maria
