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Re: Safety
Tesla List wrote:
>
> >From rwall-at-ix-dot-netcom-dot-comFri Jul 5 11:13:27 1996
> Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 18:54:07 -0700
> From: Richard Wayne Wall <rwall-at-ix-dot-netcom-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Safety
> Richard Wall responded:
>
> I'm glad this thread is now evolving into a very valuable and
> constructive thread on safety.
>
> Yes, I do have your Tesla Video Primer. It's excellent and I highly
> recommended it. I have incorporated all of your recommendations. My
> idea would be to take it a few steps further beyond the basics. In
> your videos and RQ's video, shots of your control panels abound. There
> seem to be multiple breakers, controls and safety devices. I'm curious
> about the way you safely sequence up your devices. A whole video could
> be made on just your control panel.
>
> Also, in you videos and RQ's, I have never seen a specific safety
> barrier or device around a capacitor or rotary gap. Nor, have I heard
> you mention them before. Do you use them? After my recent experience
> and your graphic discription of ". . .They are a literally an energy
> bomb! . . . or can explode with the violence of a grenade. . .", maybe
> they are a welcome addition. My impression is that prior to this
> episode no one used them, but most are using barriers now.
>
> Your experience on safe cabling and safe hook up and connections would
> be invaluable.
>
> Perhaps others on this list would also contribute suggestions to you
> for a safety video.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> RWW
>
> Richard,
Thanks for the great input!! I'll see about something on this order for
a future Educational Video. The next one is going to be on the long
awaited spark gap systems.
I now have all my caps mounted 10 feet in the air ( on a wall) with the
driver system for maggey #11-E. I have no real barrier for them however.
I don't think they are a problem as they are in soft polypropylene, thin
walled cases with vent plugs. The more important issue is rotary gaps!!
Man... I have seen folks run some of the shabbiest gaps in the world
with electrodes barely hangin' on! The main consideration is where those
points will go when one releases. The imbalance posed by an electrode
loss is sure to destroy the gap wheel milliseconds after the first point
flys off. I have done this. I know what happens!!
This is the number one issue after electrical safety in coiling!
Everyone wants a rotary and gets one as some sort of "right of passage",
often, far too early in their coiling career! I was lucky and planned
for the event with a shield which, ultimately, worked.
I once saw a wheel with glued on electrodes which spun in the horizonal
plane and at "GONAD level"! I declined the opportunity to see it work.
The key is knowing the plane of failure and, if unshielded, put it in an
area where the electrodes will do little damage which can't be repaired.
Maybe more on my tape...
Richard Hull, TCBOR