New Toy

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi All,

When I was in the seventh grade, I saw my first Tesla coil.  It was one of
those leak detector style hand held wands.  The physics teacher, Claude
Cheney, was showing us the electron tube that had that Iron Cross thing.
You put a bunch of voltage in the back and the tube glows green with X-rays
and you see the cross pattern in the screen on the front...  Perhaps these
are more "kicker coils"...  I have not had a chance yet to look at the
output voltage on a scope.  They appear to have mica caps and run at
200-500 kHz, so sounds a lot like a Tesla coil sort of thing.

Claude died a few years later of cancer...  Totally unrelated...  He joked
about all us getting fried, and we squealed with delight :o))  I have never
noticed any ill effects symelf ~:o))

However, I was always wildly fascinated by the Tesla coil wand!!  Well,
while getting parts for Paul's next experiment, I saw it!  Brand new!  So I
got one!!  Not cheap at $170, but I had to have it :-))

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/P6060031a.jpg

The fabulous Electro-Technic Products BD-10-AS.  Here I am lighting up a
length of copper pipe I found on the kitchen floor (single guy ;-))

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/P6060032a.jpg

Here is a poor picture showing the corona off the tip.  Trying not to do an
ESD test from heck on the digital camera or me...

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/P6060033a.jpg

Not a "toy" by any means!!  The instructions warn that the output is not
isolated from the AC line!!  Yep!!  Check this out :o))

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/P6060035a.jpg

The tip is about 70 ohms away from the hot line side =:O  But hey! The line
cord is UL and CE rated :o))  Nice to know they still sell these
diabolically fun toys in these days of UL, CSA, CE, TUV,
M.I.C.K.E.Y-M.O.U.S.E, ratings...

This is sort of interesting.  In order to "isolate" the output from the
line, they have a Teflon enclosed gap in the output terminal.

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/P6060036a.jpg

Since the AC line can't jump the gap but the high voltage RF can, this gap
serves as a 'little' protection if the user gets in a bad place. I am not
sure "I" feel real good about that, but it probably does work.

Here are the instructions to it (big file to grab it all...)

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/instruct-BD10-AS.gif

It really is a fun and useful thing.  Sort of a 50kV RF hand held tester
that can fry anything you want at will.  Hehehehe!!!

Cheers,

	Terry