Re: Safety--NFPA70E and Flashover Clearance Info

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

Original poster: "John Richardson" <jprich-at-up-dot-net> 

Hi Steve,

I like to play things safe, and don't plan on resuming activities until I
have a safe environment.  I moved to the most desolate area of the basement
last night, and set things up there.  Will be going to the lumber yard in a
day or so for some mesh fence, and plan on lining the ceiling to Farady the
minimum of items that could possibly be struck.  Just wanted to see what
others do in this situation.

As to the lights coming on in my prior location, that was entirely due to
streamer currents, and not a switch damaged by streamers.  I did my best to
set up a target that I thought the streamers would prefer, but sometimes
they do what they want.  I really did not anticipate the jump in spark
length that the extra topload provided, and thought my new location would be
safe.  Live and learn.

Thanks,
John Richardson

 > Original poster: "Steve Conner" <steve.conner-at-optosci-dot-com>
 >
 >  >While tuning, I went
 >  >from no output to tremendous output, with streamers longer than
expected,
 >  >and therefore hitting the Romex in the ceiling.  I didn't expect this.
If
 > I
 >  >run chicken wire on the ceiling, and ground it out, will this be enough
to
 >  >keep things safe?
 >
 > Streamers hitting your house wiring doesn't sound very safe, especially if
 > they make the lights come on, like you mentioned 8-0 The lights could be
lit
 > by the TC energy directly, or it could be starting an arc inside the light
 > switch that is letting some power through from the 120V line. Either way
not
 > good :(
 >
 > Grounded chicken wire would probably solve the problem, but you need to
 > think for a while about what you're going to ground it to... The ideal is
a
 > "Faraday cage"- chicken wire on all your walls, ceiling, and floor,
grounded
 > to the same ground as your secondary base.
 >
 > I have only hit wires in my ceiling once or twice briefly, and the lights
 > never lit up :(
 >
 > http://www.scopeboy-dot-com/tesla/fryingtonight3.jpg
 >
 > Steve C.
 >
 >