Re: Pole pigs, caps, etc

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

Original poster: "Gregory Hunter by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>


&gt; I think it is only a matter of time before
someone
&gt; is injured or 
&gt; killed with a Tesla Coil. In Australia there is
no
&gt; legislation 
&gt; against playing with coils (other than RF
&gt; interference). But we can 
&gt; not play with explosives and fireworks. The
reason
&gt; there is no 
&gt; legislation, is because there has been no need
for
&gt; it - YET. This is 
&gt; a fairly unknown hobby, with a good safety
record.
&gt; But if someone 
&gt; dies, I reckon it will be made illegal in a flash
&gt; (at least that is 
&gt; the way things happen in Australia). So lets all
&gt; play it safe, and 
&gt; not sue pole pig, capacitor, etc companies who
are
&gt; kind enough to 
&gt; sell us parts. Lets not ruin this hobby for
everyone
&gt; else.
&gt; 
&gt; I don't want to have to stop coiling because no
one
&gt; will sell me the 
&gt; components. I don't want to see anyone die. Keep
it
&gt; safe. Be careful.
&gt; 
&gt; 
&gt; End of lecture.
&gt; 
&gt; Greg.
&gt; 

Good points. There's a lot to recommend the
incremental approach to coiling. I started out as a
teen driving my first TC with an ignition coil.
Eventually, I stepped up to a single NST, then a
bigger NST, then a bank of NSTs, and eventually MOTs
and a even pole transformer. This approach was forced
on me by chronic poverty more than safety concerns,
but it has served me well in the safety department. My
first accidents with electricity involved painful
bites on my fingertips, as opposed to having limbs
burned off with a pole transformer. The finger bites
were plenty uncomfortable, and I became a very
cautious &#34;sissy&#34; about electricity.

A painful bite from an ignition coil or similar low
current source is sort of like a vaccination against
electrocution. Those who do not have a background in
one of the electrical trades and who have the money
and resources to bypass the &#34;baby steps&#34; and
go straight to pole pig TC system are missing out on
something important--they are &#34;un-vaccinated&#34;.
A teen or a college kid with a pole transformer is
kind of creepy--makes me worry. I'm not talking about
intellect here. I've met many young kids far smarter
than I. What I'm talking about is experience and
maturity--IQ just ain't no substitute.

Greg is right about another thing. There's no
legislation controlling coiling or restricting the
sale of pole transformers and pulse power caps to us
because we are few, out of sight, and out of mind of
the general public. We are probably only one
high-profile death away from being noticed by the
authorities, and subsequently legislated &amp;
regulated out of our unusual hobby.

Any interesting hobby should be a journey, not a
destination. Slow and steady guys--baby steps--it can
save your life and protect our hobby. If you just
absolutely can't stand the wait and must have that
pole pig right NOW, you may be exactly the type who
shouldn't own one! Think about it. Be careful out
there.

(the other Greg)


=====
Gregory R. Hunter

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg

_