Re: Some basic questions on safety

["Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Most lightbulbs are backfilled with Argon or Nitrogen to reduce tungsten
sputtering.  As I recall, anything over 25 Watts is backfilled and not
vacuum.  If you're getting plasma sphere effects, there must be some gas
inside, right?  A vacuum won't have any discharge visible inside the
sphere, but if you're making X rays (or electrons) the glass might glow or
phosphoresce.

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> From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Some basic questions on safety
> Date: Monday, August 28, 2000 7:27 PM
> 
> Original poster: MShock8073-at-aol-dot-com 
> 
> Being new to this hobby I have some basic questions regarding safety. The
one 
> that keeps bothering me right now is....
> 
> When using a large envelope incandescent bulb for a makeshift 'plasma
sphere' 
> what are the risks as to radiation? Especially X-ray or cathode ray
emission? 
> I have read that some bulbs are evacuated so well that unwanted x-rays
are 
> possible. Is this a safe demonstration using a standard (GE) thin
envelope 5 
> inch bulb? Or am I right in assuming that a thin glass production light
bulb 
> would implode long before that level of vacuum was achieved? My small 
> ignition coil powered tesla coil is the one I usually allow children to
watch 
> and/or interact with and with the low power of this device I have to use 
> scraps of neon tubing and clear envelope light bulbs to demonstrate the
power 
> radiating from the coil because streamers are non existent and the corona
is 
> very faint.
> 
> Any help will be appreciated,
> Marc S.
> 
> 
>