Safety techniques: Open to your correction

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Original poster: "Dave Hartwick by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ddhartwick-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Some more thoughts on coiling safety

1) Dan MacCauley mentioned his intention to encase his PDT in Plexiglas.
This is fine idea, but I rarely have an audience. I always place the PDT
well away from the control area which I think most coilers do, judging from
pictures. If connection change on the PDT is necessary, all breakers and
interlocks are switched to the off position and a "crowbar" dead short
placed across the PDT LV windings. Same with MOT supplies. I admit to being
bit less fearful of a single 15/30 NST, for example--probably not a good
thing.

2) Probe for drawing test arcs:
I've seen one picture on the internet of a coiler pulling an arc from a
large MOT supply with a piece of wire taped to a screw driver, the handle
providing the sole insulation. I think this is entirely inadequate. Should a
small track, steel wool fibers, or who knows what else be present,
connection to the operator may occur. If the rest of your body is well away
from any ground and one hand is behind your back you'll probably be ok, of
course; but I prefer to keep my arse well away from such flaming power.
Plus, those high power flaming arcs have a tendency to "billow" and sort of
plume beyond what may be expected.

For an arc pulling HV probe, I use a 6 ft piece of 1.5" pvc tube with a
perpendicular length of #4 Cu wire at one end. I examine the tube on
occasion for carbon tracking since I use it rarely for pulling streamers
from the coil toroid at lower power levels. There is some minor tracking on
it now that I will remove with a file. I also dust the length if the pole
with a rag, though this may be verging on compulsiveness.

3) I use the same probe to check for charge wrt to ground of the tank
circuit prior to primary tap change. I don't think I've ever seen any
sparking, but I do it anyway.

This is by no means comprehensive, just some thoughts.
Dave