Re: NON-static shocks from unpowered secondary?

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

Original poster: "Allanh by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <allanh-at-starband-dot-net>

I've noticed small shocks for my coil, even when its been
off for half an hour. I tried discharging myself before touching it, but
could still feel the small tingles from the
coil. My  coil is securely grounded. It's interesting to hear
that someone else has experienced the same thing.

allan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 6:29 AM
Subject: RE: NON-static shocks from unpowered secondary?


> Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com>
>
> Normally, the base of the secondary coil is tied to ground.  You say that
> you get shocks from touching either terminal of the coil.  How can you get
> a shock from touching the grounded end of a coil, unless YOU are at some
> elevated voltage?
>
> I'm assuming that by "unpowered secondary", that you mean that the Tesla
> Coil is not running.  Or do you mean that there is an operating Tesla
Coil,
> and near by is another, unconnected secondary coil, and it's this
secondary
> that is shocking you?  This would be no surprise.
>
> Gary Lau
> MA, USA
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 3:39 AM
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: NON-static shocks from unpowered secondary?
>
> Original poster: "Patrick Leonard by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <transactoid-at-rogers-dot-com>
>
>
> I live in Southern Ontario, and it gets very dry in the winter. With a bit
of
> shuffling, I can pull 1"+ static sparks. In fact, I do this all the time
on
> purpose - I KNOW what static shocks feel like.
>
> Now, I've read the discussions on people receiving static shocks from
their
> unpowered secondaries, but the shocks I've got feel *nothing* like static
> shocks. I feel nothing when touching the sides of the coil*, but when I
touch
> either end terminal of the coil, I get a very sharp, tingling, *painful*
shock.
> Again, it feels *nothing* like a static shock, there's no "hair raising"
Van De
> Graaf feel, no loud "pop".......it feels exactly like an AC shock. It's a
> pulsating, piercing kind of pain. There is no visible spark.
>
> I realize this is fairly subjective. Hopefully someone else has can relate
to
> what I'm saying. I've felt both static shocks and (thankfully) small AC
shocks.
> These secondary shocks feel like just like AC.
>
> I know very little about electronics. Is it possible the coils, acting as
an
> inductor, are somehow maintaining an AC current? Or rectifying any static
> charges into AC current?
>
> (*Actually, I have received static shocks from touching the sides of the
coil -
> the small sparks and crackles, the hair on my hand stands on end. This is
NOT
> what I feel when touching the end terminals.)
>
> Thanks,
> "This ain't no static shock"
> Patrick
>