“Promethean Fire” Plasma Globe

About our “Promethean Fire” Plasma Globe

This unique globe requires a “Break-In Period” to achieve its optimum display characteristics. The globe is beautiful from day one but after about 1,000 to 2,000 hours of activity it will be even better. This description follows that maturing process. There is also a video comparison further down the page.

Early Stage Globe

The “Promethean Fire” Plasma Globe produces an unearthly blue aura which glows more intensely as the power is turned up. Greenish white, wispy, soft tendrils appear at the center electrode when the globe is turned on. As power is increased the center electrode and the globe’s interior wall begin to glow blue while the interior fills with a bluish fog. All of this presents a nice contrasting background as the ever enlarging green and white tendrils reach out and strike the glass. As the power level approaches 50% some of the tendrils erupt into bright white lightning bolts that are very energetic. 

The upper range of power is where the Promethean Fire globe starts to show why it is really special. By now the lightning strikes are filling the globe and placing a hand on the globe will produce tendrils with sustained looping characteristics which our other globes cannot duplicate. These long-lasting rope-like effects are what we were trying to achieve when the gas mixture was formulated.

Mature “Broken-In” Globe

New globes are usually a bit too active to get the best looping effects but as they mature the effects soften and slow a bit when the globe is untouched. This softening and fattening of the tendrils also results in the greenish color becoming more vibrant. With this maturing a hand will now produce more sustained beautiful long looping ropes when the globe is touched. This break-in period takes about 1,000 to 2,000 hours of operation to occur but the globes are gorgeous from day one so we strongly suggest that you enjoy every hour and not rush the process.

After 3,000 to 5,000 hours an unattended globe will have vivid greenish white tendrils waving slowly in a bluish fog inside of an electric blue colored globe with occasional spontaneous white lightning strikes to the glass. Touching the globe will make it come alive! Long looping tendrils will reach out to your hand and you can drag them down the globe and release them to explode on their own against the base and electrode tower.

We have found that after about 3,000 to 5,000 hours the globe effects stabilize. (In case you are wondering, we installed electronic timing meters in the base of our test globes and videoed them periodically). The main video on this site shows our test globe when it had logged just around 10,000 hours. There is another video that shows a comparison of three globes at various stages in the maturing process. Please keep in mind that no two globes are ever exactly alike and our testing can only give a close approximation of what can be expected of another globe.

Plasma Effect Age Comparison

Important Note: All of the pictures and videos on our website were taken in near darkness. The descriptions of the effects are based on observations of the globes in the same near darkness. Just as the Northern Lights cannot be seen during the day, our globe’s effects are best viewed in a darkened environment. Increasing levels of ambient light will wash out the effect colors until they almost disappear under full sunlight.

Also, please be aware that no two plasma globes are exactly alike, and there may be slight variations in color and effect from globe to globe. We make every effort to photograph and present our globes as accurately as possible, but due to differences in the way that your computer screen displays colors, what you see on screen may differ to some degree from the actual plasma globe you receive.