Re: Skin effect question

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

Hello All,
           I thought I'd say a brief word on this topic (how many MB 
in the archives are now sitting idle with all that's been written on 
this and every other topic under the sun I wonder?):

On 27 Jun 01, at 11:28, Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<Hollmike-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> In a message dated 6/26/01 9:45:50 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
> tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:
> 
> << Hi all
>  
>  Bit of a dumb question... but here I go...
>  
>  TCs operate at high frequencies... so the electrical impulses are not able
>  to be felt by nervous system.

Agree.

 The current output of corona is not high
>  enough to cause your heart to do... wierd stuff.

Depends on the available charge from the topload. Peak currents can 
easily be in the amps or 10's of amps range.

 Theoretically could you
>  take arcs from a TC to a metal object in your hand, as long as you weren't
>  grounded... yes?

It can be done but if you don't know what you're doing, don't try it 
with anything other than a battery powered ignition *coil* (NOT 
ignition *transformer*) TC.

 I say this because obviously a power arc (complete topload
>  capacitor discharge) will kill you... but will the pansy liitle air
>  streamers do the same thing? My theory would lead me to believe not.. but I
>  dont really wanna try it out :)

A connected spark is an arc, not corona.
  
>  Jason
>   >>
> Jason,
>    It is in theory possible to take discharges from your coil with a
piece of 
> metal in your hand.  I have done this numerous times while standing on a 
> plastic milk crate.    I used the less popular primary configuration where 
> the cap is across the transformer and the gap is in series.  This, I think, 
> helps suppress the 60Hz from being superimposed in the RF circuit, but I
have 
> not tried to prove any such thing.

Don't agree. There is a low frequency component in the output thanks 
to the spark gap firing. Basic cap charging configurations don't 
affect that at all.

>       I have taken an accidental hit(got just a little too close to the end 
> of the streamers and they 'flashed' an extra two feet and up my arm) from my 
> large coil with the usual primary configuration and it felt much 
> different(yes I could feel that one) and would not take a direct hit from it 
> on purpose for sure.  

Did you try it with you "cap across the transformer" configuration 
and the same coil running at the same power level?

>      The thing to remember is that your first mistake will likely be your 
> last.
> Mike

Absolutely agree with that last statement.

       Forget about skin effect. it doesn't apply *at all* to your 
body. The reason for that is the body's relatively high resistivity. 
And don't read that the wrong way either. We are not talking about 
megohms of body resistance but a hundred ohms (give or take a few 
tens) once your paper thin epidermis is punctured and carbon-tracked. 
I'm talking about high *relative to metal*. Don't forget - there is 
an abundance of ionic fluids in your body and your blood vessels.

      *Playing* with electricity is playing with fire. Electricity is 
*very* unforgiving and will wallop with a vengeance those who do not 
understand what they are doing. 

Malcolm