RE: Safe parameters for stupid human Tesla coil stunts

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Steve Conner" <steve.conner@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Terry and others,

I second what Terry was saying (both in 2000 and now) It is a lot easier now
for people to build really high powered coils. But remarkably few people
seem to get hurt. Let me offer my own experience to try and explain what I
mean.

When I started out building my first coil a couple of years ago, I was all
excited by the thought of touching the arcs, shooting sparks from my
fingers, and the like. But I changed my mind pretty quick as soon as I
actually got the coil to work! When I saw the Tesla coil discharges for the
first time, it just gave me a gut feeling that these loud, buzzing,
writhing, hot plasma things were not something one would want to touch! So I
don't think you would ever find me trying the lightning man stunt. And I
imagine many other potential "human fireballs" are put off in this way
too...

Now I think of the risk in terms of power and energy. A bang energy of a few
tenths of a joule is enough to make an arc sting if it hits your skin. (as I
know from a few zappings I got from my mini OLTC.) And once you start
getting into tens of watts of power you can get RF burns. (If you don't
believe me, try touching a plasma globe wrapped in tin foil to collect all
the current. You can draw a cute 1/8" arc that burns your finger.)

So I wouldn't want to come into contact in any way with a coil whose output
exceeded either of these limits. I don't really buy the idea of using
chain-mail gloves, metal helmets, shark suits etc. to allow contact with
higher powered coils. I can just imagine a connection of your "Faraday
underwear" coming loose and starting an arc that burns your skin or sets
your clothes on fire. I know other people use these things succesfully, but
the risk is just too high for me personally.

Steve C.