Re: NST safety

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: robert heidlebaugh <rheidlebaugh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

I know there is suposed to be a wire with enough insulation to be safe, but
I have found that any time you are dumb enough to touch a live high voltage
wire there is always sufficient capacitive coupeling to knock you across the
room. Be dumb..learn hard it always works well.
     Robert   H
--


> From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 16:18:04 -0600
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: NST safety
> Resent-From: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Resent-Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 16:18:22 -0600 (MDT)
>
> Original poster: Just Justin <rocketfuel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Well I just picked up my first NST, 12kV 60mA from a sign shop in town for
> $30.
>
> "Have fun...don't kill yourself!" were the parting words from the shop
> employee :)
>
>
> Since I hope to at least make it to the point of firing a fully operational
> tesla
> coil before I die, I thought I'd send out a ping to this list to answer 
a few
> safety-related questions I have.
>
>
> 1). Is it ever safe to handle a HV wire if there is adequate insulation on
> the wire?
> Certainly the safe bet would be to just not ever do it.
>
> 2). What would happen if the HV outputs of a 12kV 60mA NST were shorted?
> Would the wires of the secondary melt or would something else (house
> breaker) go before that?
> Is this also the case if the resistance of the HV circuit is too
> low?  Where does a Jacob's ladder
> fit in...can a NST power a continuous arc indefinitely?
>
> 3). How can I tell if my NST has current limiting abilities?
>
> 4). I realize this is on the high-current end of NSTs...is there anything
> else I should
> know to be safe?
>
>
> Hopefully these questions aren't too pedantic for most of you.
>
> Thanks very much for the help and inspiration!
>
>
> Justin
>
>