Ozone generator for cleaning...

[NM_Shooter]

Caveat Emptor.  Especially for idiots.  This could catch you on fire, electrocute you, and damage your tissues, screw up your property and render you bald and  (insert disastrous result here).


So... about 6 years ago, I got a great deal on a used Toyota.  Problem was that the previous owner was a smoker, and it smelled like an ashtray.  But we saved a ton of cash on it and decided to clean it up.  We completely detailed the inside, shampooed the carpet and headliner, but could not get the smoke smell out of all the nooks and ductwork.  I did some searching around and found that ozone will oxidize (O^3, go figure) smells and could possibly get rid of the smell that I had. 

I searched around on the web, and found that I could buy an ozone generator, but it was not cheap.  So I built my own.  Here's how. 

I went to a local electrical surplus shop, and they had a bunch of old air core neon transformers (gotta be air core).  120AC on one side ~7500VAC on the other.  Wire the 120AC to a wall plug.  next, build a plate assembly to do the ozone generation.  Take a piece of regular window, glass (1/8" thick?) and put two pieces of aluminum screen on each side.  I just secured them with some glue.  I used screen that was about 4" X6".  Don't put the screen too close to the edge of the glass.

Wire the 7500V side of the transformer, one leg to each screen. 

When you plug the thing in, it will glow blue and start to emit ozone.  A lot of ozone.  Don't breath that stuff, as it will oxidize your nasal tissues. 

I left this in my 4Runner for two hours (much too long) with the vent fan running.  When I was done, I had no residual smoke smell.  Ever.

[muldoon]

7500 volts ac can do some serious harm if your not very careful with your homeade creation.  Also ozone by itself is not the safest thing in the world and is linked to multiple respiratory and heart problems.  This is not a toy or completely safe item to rig up in any sense of the word. That being said, ozone is naturally occuring, its basically the smell you smell just after a rainstorm, especially right after lightning.  It's not deadly or harmful at all in normal doses, the EPA says it's fine..  just passing on a warning that you dont want to run this 24/7 in your house. 

Like NM said, ozone is really great removing odors, but also at killing mold, bacteria, purifiying water and air, and disinfecting a room.  I think the best approach in generating it would be to look at the ozone producing "germicidal lights".  Googleing germicidal light ozone produces many hits where you can buy a UL certified and safe flourescent tube based ozone producing light bulb for about 40 to 50 bucks.  I had the T5 bulb for many years without any issues.  (black mold in an apartment we lived in) we did the light for a few hours a day on a timer when we were at work until we moved.  Went from having near constant illness and sinus infections to none - it does work. 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=germicidal+light+ozone&btnG=Search

[MountainDon]

 

I do have a couple old neon signs out in the garage... 

Good to know, satisfies my curiosity and who knows when it could be handy knowledge.

[glenn kangiser]

My sister was dealing with some company that had an ozone air purifier generator/filter.  We borrowed it -- tried it out -- all it did was give me asthma.

Later she found out they weren't that good for you -- at least to be around when they were working.

[NM_Shooter]

Don't confuse ozone with UV from a UV lightbulb.  Ozone is nasty stuff, but very effective (think of cleaning mortar off of bricks with acid vs. water).  The described ozone generator is many orders of magnitude more effective in getting rid of smells than a UV bulb, but also many orders more dangerous. 

But used with caution, it is just another tool, and perfectly safe when used by even a semi-intelligent person. 

BTW...They use ozone generators to get rid of smoke smell in homes damaged by a fire too. 

[Sassy]

Don't they have ozone filters for pools?  That seems like it would be much nice than swimming in chlorine or bromine.