Re: Can You Get Zapped by your coil with out being harmed?

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

Original poster: "Nicholas Field by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <nick.field-at-hvfx.co.uk>

Dan,

Lead by example.  Telling people 'I do it with no problems, but don't you do
it' isn't really the way forward.

The output of _any_ Tesla coil can be lethal.  The lowest reported lethal
shock current is 14mA.  Even in the smallest NST system the peak discharge
current will exceed that.

In the bad old days when people thought they could take shocks to their body
with relative impunity, thanks to the almighty 'skin effect', some people
gave themselves quite large exposures.  One of those people is dead, and at
least one other needs regular massage therapy to try and undo the damage.

The bottom line :  TC's can and have killed.

Safe Coiling,
Nick
_______________
Nick Field, HVFX
www.hvfx.co.uk




----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 10:54 PM
Subject: Re: Can You Get Zapped by your coil with out being harmed?


 > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>
 >
 > Well, with a 4kv NST, an arc from the secondary probably isn't going to
harm
 > you.  Of course sticking your head into a well-fed lion's cage probably
 > won't harm you either,
 > but i would not recommend it.  I typically (standing on insulated base)
will
 > let my 4kV/20mA transformer coil jump to a wrench (100% metallic) during
 > demonstrations with
 > no problem.  In fact I do it frequency without the insulated base. I'll
also
 > do this with my solid state coils.
 >
 > Will I do this with my bigger coils.  Not on your (or my) life.  Also, the
 > secondary output isn't the dangerous output for small coils.  Its the
 > primary side which is the most dangerous.  On larger coils, both secondary
 > and primary can be deadly.  And if by chance secondary strikes primary
while
 > you're in contact with the secondary streamer . . . we'll lets hope its
only
 > the 4kV/20mA NST running the coil.  That 60 Hz primary can be deadly and
for
 > the bigger stuff, absolutely lethal.
 >
 > Better play it safe than sorry.  Watch from afar!
 >
 > Dan
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > ----- Original Message -----
 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 4:39 PM
 > Subject: Can You Get Zapped by your coil with out being harmed?
 >
 >
 >  > Original poster: "Timothy R. Alkema by way of Terry Fritz
 > <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ALKEMAT-at-student.gvsu.edu>
 >  >
 >  > I have a coil that i built a year ago and I have played wit it a lot.
I
 >  > have never been "hit" by a spark but i was wondering if you can
actually
 >  > let the spark jump to your finger without killing yourself.  It runs
off
 > of
 >  > a 4000 volt transformer with 1 shunt removed.  its about ten inches
tall
 > so
 >  > its not huge.  Let me know so I dont do something stupid;)
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >