[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Short circuit

Subject:  Re: Short circuit
  Date:  Fri, 6 Jun 1997 21:34:18 -0500
  From:  "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-headwaters-dot-com>
    To:  Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


> Date:          Thu, 05 Jun 1997 22:44:35 -0500
> To:            tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject:       Short circuit
> From:          Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>

> Subject:  Short circuit
>   Date:  Thu, 5 Jun 1997 18:09:23 -0700 (PDT)
>   From:  gweaver <gweaver-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>     To: Tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> 
> 
> While running my 1350 watt Tesla Coil today something very strange
> happened.
> The ON/OFF switch shorted itself closed and I could not turn the Tesla
> Coil
> off. I tried the switch several times and it refused to turn off.  I
> then
> walked a few steps to unplug the cord from the wall when it suddenly
> arced
> on the side of the cord about 2" from the plug.  The arc turned into a
> hissing ball of fire.  For several seconds the Tesla Coil was still
> making
> sparks and the extension cord was arcing also.  I unplugged the cord and
> found the copper wires were melted and burned in half on the cord.  I
> know
> high voltage can do strange things but never had this happen before.  If
> only the switch had gone bad or only the cord had fried I would guess it
> died of old age.  But 2 things fried within seconds of each other makes
> me
> think it was caused by something.  Has anyone ever had something like
> this
> happen?   
> 
> Gary Weaver
> 
> 
Gary,

It is most definitely time to place a good RFI line filter between 
the power cord and your whatever transformer. You should also look at 
your grounding.  I hope that arcing damage has not occurred elsewhere on
any 
of the circuits that share your pole transformer, like maybe in your
neighbour's
house?  Isn't that the woman without a cat?

I experienced this same phenomenon myself at the old place.  Good RFI
filters
and good grounding techniques might completely eliminate it as a
problem.  I 
now have my 486 computer connected and always running, to the same mains
and only about 20 feet from my twin system (and I often forget to not
unplug
the phone line to the modem), (the phone line goes near the twin on its
way out 
the building), and at 8 kVA I have no trouble at all with my 
computer.  My ground system and AC line filter to the coil is apparently 
superbly and effectively applied.

rwstephens