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Re: Plexi Spark Shield

I use aluminum screen connected to ground (as in the very fine mesh kind
used with windows to keep out bugs) to protect wiring along the ceiling
in my basement.  It's cheap, and for your application, virtually
transparent to both light and sound. It's also easy to cut with a decent
pair of scissors and doesn't poke you like chicken wire tends to.

-Stan

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: Ted Rosenberg <TRosen1-at-Tandy-dot-com>
> 
> 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............