Plexi Spark Shield

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Plexi Spark Shield
From: Ted Rosenberg <TRosen1-at-Tandy-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Wed, 15 Dec 1999 12:26:32 -0700
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Dale: You raise an interesting point. While I can't draw the plan I have for
the scene, I simply want to make sure people who walk by are kept at least 3
times the distance from the longest spark distance.
If my coil is successful, I hope to achieve 36" sparks. The output should
jump to a 1" diameter grounded conduit overhead to 'contain' the display.
(From Frankenstein's head to the arched bar above the monster)
Therefore, I figured if the distance to the viewers is another 10 feet or
so, a 'dutch door' made of plywood on the bottom and plexi on top would be
suitable.
But, chicken wire would be visually and audio-wise much better. 
When the time comes, I will try the chicken wire first and see if any sparks
or anything else goes further.
I would be on the side using a foot switch to my Variac.
Ted
===============================================
Subject: RE: Plexi Spark Shield

Original Poster: Dale Hall <Dale.Hall-at-trw-dot-com> 

Ted,
Plexiglas may be inadequate as a shield from a Sec Spark Discharge.
It may serve to keep people from physically touching the innards, though.

Being a dielectric, Plexiglas is likely to channel discharges
 to people leaning against or near it.
People are simply another plate of the secondary capacitor separated by  
Plexiglas being a more dense (thus preferred arc path)
 dielectric than air.

I take advantage of the air/dielectric boundary affect to limit,
 i.e. 'control' discharges to 2 dimensions.
 
Use chicken wire mesh or similar, with continuous edge ground.
(else it may re-radiate induced sparks those close to the wire)
An advantage it will pass the full dynamics of the less harmful sound waves!

BTW I used my manual controlled bang battery powered DC TC
this Halloween with great success.
28" power arcs on demand.
Want a picture ? (((YES)))

Regards, Dale

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Monday, December 13, 1999 4:37 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: RE: Sealing Plexiglas

Original Poster: Ted Rosenberg <TRosen1-at-Tandy-dot-com> 

snip....

It's use is planned for a local Haunted House for next October. Between the
noise and the sparks it should scare the %$&-at- out of the patrons (who will
be kept an appropriate distance by plexi sheeting and 2x4 walls).

Regards, Ted
Snip............