Re: Safe handling of Capacitors

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

Original poster: "Steve Cook by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <Steve-at-g8cyerichmond.freeserve.co.uk>

I've certainly been 'zapped' that way. I use my version of a device that was
popular many years ago for electrostatics experiments, namely discharge
tongs. My version has brass probes mounted on long insulated handles, joined
together with a length of hv cable, between one end of the cable and one of
the probes is a 100k resistor, to limit current flow.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2001 6:27 PM
Subject: Re: Safe handling of Capacitors


> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> Tesla list wrote:
> >
> > Original poster: "Jim DeLillo by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jimdel-at-bellatlantic-dot-net>
> >
> > Wouldn't a length of small diam PVC pipe work?
>
> From what I've observed over the years, the "traditional" way to
> discharge capacitors is with the shaft of a screwdriver, preferably with
> insulated handle.  If there's enough charge in the capacitor the result
> is nice little craters in the screwdriver!  Don't know if anyone has
> gotten zapped doing this, but it could be risky if one carelessly got
> across the HV.
>
> Ed
>
>
>
>