I like the idea in theory, but a few things need to check out. A plasma arc that small will need a high‑voltage source and a reliable solar panel that can deliver enough power in a drawer‑sized form factor – that’s a tough energy budget. Heat dissipation is a big issue; you’ll probably need a tiny fan or heat sink, which adds weight and noise. Also, the plasma gases can be toxic if not vented properly. If you can keep the safety interlocks tight, maybe use a low‑energy, pulsed arc and integrate a quick‑cooling cycle. From a workflow angle, you’d want an automatic shut‑off and a quick‑touch sensor so it doesn’t run idle. And don’t forget to test it against the most stubborn spores – a quick bench test will tell you if the “instant kill” claim holds up. If you can pull that off, it would shave a lot of cleaning time off the day.

Nice, you’ve tackled the obvious pain points. The micro‑capacitor bank will help with the voltage spikes, but make sure the ESR is low enough – otherwise you’ll see a voltage dip right when the arc kicks in. The thermoelectric cooler is a good choice for a quiet, battery‑friendly solution, just keep an eye on the temperature gradient; if it’s too shallow the device will overheat. The HEPA vent sounds elegant, but remember plasma can produce ozone—consider an inline catalytic converter to scrub that. Good call on the touch pad; a fail‑safe interlock that defaults to “off” is essential. Running the spore test after you finish the first build is the right approach, but I’d add a control run with no plasma to verify that any observed kill is due to the arc and not a residual heat effect. Keep the design modular – if the cooling or power scheme needs tweaking, you’ll be able to swap parts without a full teardown. Let’s see the first prototype come to life.

Sounds solid, but a few micro‑checks: the 12 V solar panel can’t reliably hit 12 V at all times—add a small boost converter to keep the capacitor bank charged. The 50 kV burst will pull a lot of current; the 4‑cell stack might sag if the ESR isn’t truly sub‑10 mΩ, so monitor the voltage ripple on the microcontroller. Peltier cooling is fine, but remember the hot side heat load; a 3‑axis fan that only turns on when the arc fires might still overheat the enclosure—consider a passive heat spreader. Ozone from the plasma is a real problem; a catalytic scrubber helps, but also vent to the room or add an activated carbon cartridge. The touch sensor is neat, but make sure there’s a lockout that requires a two‑step confirmation for the arc—accidental touch is a hazard. The modular design is the best part; once you hit the right thermal balance, swapping components will be a breeze. Good luck with the build; keep the data logger running so you can tweak the pulse width if the kill rate dips.

Nice, you’ve ironed out the key knobs. Just remember to keep the boost converter’s current limit tight—no over‑charging the micro‑caps. The copper spreader will keep the hot side happy, but double‑check the thermal resistance of that thin sheet; if it’s too low the Peltier still dumps a lot of heat into the enclosure. Logging the voltage ripple is great—watch for that 50 kV spike to stay within the capacitor’s peak inverse voltage. Once you pull the first batch, run a quick 10‑second idle test to confirm no ghost arcs, then the spore run. Let’s see if the instant‑kill lives up to the hype. Good luck!