The history of obsolete Spark Gap technology
The first machine was developed in Greece by Prof Pappas during the 1980's and was called the PAP-IMI machine.
He noticed that a patient spontaneous recovered from a chronic illness after being hit by lightning. In 1987 Pappas started his research leading to positive effects of electrical processes in cells.
After the PAP-IMI machine was introduced on the market in the USA it got some negative reviews and the US distributor redeveloped this original machine, repacked it in a smaller box and succesfully put it on the market as new technology.
Because this machine was easy to copy a technician left the company and started building his own device in his garage, soon to be followed by a couple of other people also wanting to become rich. Soon the market was flooded with similar spark gap machines starting from primitive boxes, suitcases on wheels and up to nice colored boxes.
Spark gap technology is quite easy to build and such devices are still sold on fancy websites for prices of around $20,000 making some people very rich because the investments are minimal and profit margins are very high.
In addition it's easy to find a second hand spark gap machine for under $10,000 on eBay because users are glad to get rid of this technology, or even directly from manufacturers who are unable to develop PEMF devices with modern solid state electronics.
Many people buying such obsolte technology often do not realise that spark gap electrodes need to be replaced after a while making service very cumbersome and expensive.
Modern solid state impulse PEMF devices are completely service free and prices start already under $5,000. These devices deliver between 4.000 and 10.000 Gauss, which is more than enough for use at home and for medical professionals treating patients.
On this page are various outdated spark gap machines: Pulsepemf, PEMF-120, PMT 120, PEMF8000, Magnawave, Pulsecenters, Hugo, Megapulse etc.
More history of obsolete Spark Gap technology
Spark gaps create [illegal] radio frequency interferences in open air and create unpredictable EMF disturbances.
Spark gaps create toxic fumes like nitrogen oxide and ozone.
Fans used in spark gap PEMF devices send these toxins into the room where they are inhaled by the users, possibly damaging mucus membranes and lungs.
Control of the pulsing frequency and intensity of PEMF spark gap machines is usually done by turning a knob changing the distance between the spark electrodes allowing the high voltage capacitor to reach a higher voltage dependent on the breakdown voltage level of the spark gap. This is followed by ionizing the air between the electrodes, reducing the electrical resistance and letting the high voltage capacitor pass the energy into the coil creating a high intensity impulse.
This is a stochastic process because ionization of the air gap between the electrodes is random and depends on the air quality between the electrodes, creating irregular pulsing frequencies and irregular intensities.
Generally, spark gap technology is still used when there is no other solution of transferring high voltages and high currencies into loads but semiconductor manufacturers constantly improve solid state switches for higher voltages and currents.
Spark gaps were historically applied in the past for spark gap radio transmitters and X-ray machines but today they are mostly still used in cars and for protecting equipment from high voltage transient pulses.
Similarly, the way what happened over time by replacing obsolete radio tubes for transistors and television tube screens with LED, plasma and OLED displays, also spark gaps are fading more and more out as solid-state solutions become more available.
There are still medical professionals who prefer very high intensities by using spark gaps however for effective PEMF applications between 4.000 and 10.000 Gauss is more than enough and is obtained with modern solid-state technology. This will result in fading out of PEMF spark gap machines in the very near future and being replaced by solid state devices with similar high intensities as spark machines when they will sooner than later reach the market.
Like Nasa discarded the obsolete space shuttle for the Dragon spacecraft propelled by the SpaceX Falcon rocket to send astronauts to the space station, so also obsolete spark gap PEMF systems are being replaced by solid state devices.
PEMF treatments above 10.000 Gauss are usually painful when applied locally because of very strong [unbearable] muscle movements, possibly limiting the use of maximum intensities.
Sometimes even a loaner machine is offered, showing the need for electrode replacement during the time the PEMF spark machine is under repair. This only proves that these machines are becoming not only obsolte but are also very service sensitive, because of the wearing out of the spark gap electrodes, exactly the same way as happens with spark plugs in cars, which also need to be replaced regularly.
In the past, kidney stones were disintegrated by electrohydraulic spark gap lithotripters which are nowadays being replaced by modern electromagnetic lithotripters.
Possibly spark plugs in cars will also be replaced by laser igniters in the future, when development of this technology is finished and prices will become attractive for car manufacturers. Photoconductive solid-state switches are also in development but too expensive for use in PEMF devices.
Not too long ago it was impossible to replace spark gaps for intensities above ~ 5000 Gauss but there are already other solutions within reach for very high intensities similar to PEMF spark gap machines but much safer, very reliable and not requiring electrode replacements and our company has already implemented these technologies.