Re: Safe handling of Capacitors (fwd)

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

Original poster: Tesla List Moderator <mod1-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 16:48:40 -0800
From: Ed Phillips <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
Reply-To: ed-at-alumni.caltech.edu
To: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Safe handling of Capacitors

> >    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
> >
> >
> 
> I have converted the tip of a screwdriver into shrapnel doing this with 40uf
> kV DC!
> Matt D.

	I believe that.  I always use the shaft of the screwdriver.  If there's
enough energy stored it can weld the screwdriver to the terminals as
well.  The tip is thinner and easier to zap, but even I would never
think of shorting a capacitor charged to 40 kV with a screwdriver.

Ed