Shocking Event

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

Original poster: "Ted Rosenberg by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Ted.Rosenberg-at-radioshack-dot-com>

Hi all:
I thought everyone might get a "charge" from something that happened last
night at the Hangman's House of Horrors.

The $6M coil is positioned in the center of a 8 x 8 foot 2x4 fenced area.
The three hair dryers (5-gal paint buckets on PVC pipe in concrete pots)
are positioned around the arc circle to take hits to their grounded pie
plates which are mounted on the bottom of each bucket. There is,
unfortunately, one corner of the fencing where someone could possibly reach
too far and get too close to the left most pie plate. So, for safety, we
closed those rail slats (made from 2x4's) with window screening stapled into
the 2x4's with 1/2 staples (T-50).

Last night, while demonstrating the coil to a visitor, I casually rested my
bare arm on the top of the railing where the screen was stapled. As I hit
the remote start transmitter, I felt a decent shock to my forearm area that
rested on the staples!!!

Not a bad, throw you to the floor shock, but a very annoying, like you were
being jabbed with needles, type shock.
After saying a few 4 letter words and turning off the coil at the same time,
I theorized that the small area of screening (perhaps 3 square feet at the
most) was picking up enough RF that it generated a charge to the staples and
I was the grounded target. If anyone wishes to give me details or clarify
this, I'd appreciate it.

Needless to say I layered the top and front of the screen with TV gaffers
tape and the problem went away.
I just think it is interesting and educational what we learn as we use our
coils.

Safety <ouch> First

Ted