Re: TC Question and Discharge Safety

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

Original poster: "Richard Modistach" <hambone-at-dodo-dot-com.au> 

so i take it the guy sitting on top of the tesla coil in the hvfx
video,
http://www.hvfx.co.uk/video/lightningman.mpg
is slowly toasting himself to an early grave?.

regards
richard
aus.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2004 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: TC Question and Discharge Safety


 > Original poster: dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com
 >
 >
 > There is no such tesla coil capable of what you ask.  There are always
 > dangers involved.  Sure, you could take a metal rod and pull the arc of
 > most small tesla coils (up to about 4kV/30mA) as well as VTTCs and STTCs
and
 > not really feel anything at all, but the RF currents are still
 > flowing through your tissue and causing damage.  Due to the high frequency
 > nature of the electricity, your nerves do not feel the current, but be
 > aware,
 > that damage is likely being done.
 >
 > Also, many will state that skin effect will protect you from the dangers
of
 > high frequency tesla coil discharges, but that is a myth.  Skin effect
 > really
 > has no effect on the human body.  Most of the RF current is flowing
through
 > your body and not on the skin.
 >
 > So when you ask if its safe to come into contact with the discharge of a
TC,
 > the answer is, no.  Sure, you may not feel any immediate pain
 > when doing something like this, but doing this repeatedly may cause long
 > term damage which may not show up for years to come.  Its always
 > best to watch from distance and not become part of the demo.
 >
 > Dan
 >
 >  > It appears I mis-stated my question. I am aware of the safety issues
with
 >  > the output of the NST or any AC source. What I was wanting to know is
 >  > whether or not there is any size TC that it is safe to come in contact
 > with
 >  > the output streamer, baring a strike to the primary while touching a
 >  > streamer.  If so, what are the specs for such a coil?
 >
 >
 >  > > > Can someone tell me the power range (ie. volt/amp rating) that is
 >  > > > safe.  I am assuming that there is a point at which they become
 >  > >potentially
 >  > > > lethal and below that point they are safe. I have a 7.5 KV NST I
would
 >  > >like
 >  > > > to do something with but I don't know if I can use it for the this
 > type
 >  > >of
 >  > > > coil. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
 >  > > >
 >  > > > Emmett
 >  > >
 >  > >You are incorrect in your assumption.
 >  > >Any voltage above 30V or so is considered hazardous at least by
various
 >  > >safety standards etc...although this
 >  > >is debated among different schools of thought.
 >  > >Although voltage doesn't kill, it is current that does the job.
However,
 >  > >given some value of resistance in the human body, the higher the
 >  > >voltage, the higher the current.
 >  > >
 >  > >There are no safe NSTs.  Any sized NST has the capacity to injure or
even
 >  > >kill someone especially when connected to
 >  > >a circuit that contains capacitors such as a Tesla Coil.  For example,
if
 >  > >you turn off your NST power at the peak point and have
 >  > >a primary tank capacitor with no or little bleeders, the primary tank
 >  > >capacitors could be fully charged to the peak output voltage
 >  > >of the NST.
 >  > >
 >  > >Also, there are many things that will affect how dangerous a NST can
be.
 >  > >For example, the impedance (resistance) of the human body
 >  > >for one.  The resistive path of the human body is greatly affected by
 > many
 >  > >things including moisture, point of contact, and physical skin
thickness
 >  > >(such as
 >  > >broken skin or sores, callouses, etc...)  While you may survive to
coil
 >  > >another day with a shock from a 15kV/60mA in dry, normal conditions,
your
 >  > >life
 >  > >may be abrubtly by a small 4kV/20mA NST if you happened to touch the
high
 >  > >voltage through a sore or wet hand or something.
 >  > >
 >  > >The important thing here, is that no high voltage is safe and that
 > includes
 >  > >any type of NST whether its a small 4kV/10mA unit or a large 15kV/60mA
 >  > >unit.
 >  > >All should be treated with the utmost respect and no one should become
 >  > >complacent around them.
 >  > >
 >  > >The following document on my website describes electrical safety and
its
 >  > >effects on the human body.
 >  > >http://www.easternvoltageresearch-dot-com/datasheets/safety.pdf
 >  > >
 >  > >Dan
 >  > >
 >  > > > I am wanting to build a small coil that would be safe to run
connected
 >  > >to
 >  > > > the supply ground and also safe if someone should come in contact
with
 > a
 >  > > > streamer. Can someone tell me the power range (ie. volt/amp rating)
 > that
 >  > >is
 >  > > > safe.  I am assuming that there is a point at which they become
 >  > >potentially
 >  > > > lethal and below that point they are safe. I have a 7.5 KV NST I
would
 >  > >like
 >  > > > to do something with but I don't know if I can use it for the this
 > type
 >  > >of
 >  > > > coil. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
 >  > > >
 >  > > > Emmett
 >  > > >
 >  > > >
 >  > >
 >
 >
 >