From: SFPhysics@aol.com
Date: Sat, 1 May 1999 02:20:39 EDT
Subject: Leyden Jars - SAFETY!
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
Paul - Thanks for the warning. I forget that not every teacher has worked
with very high potentials. I've been practicing proactive safety with high
voltage since about 1958 and have never received a serious unintentional
shock. My four foot Tesla Coil did however wipe out the solid state school
telephone from across the room on one occasion! Along with the larger sized
Leyden Jars my students made insulated shorting bars so they would not come
in contact with a large number of Coulombs....
The purpose of the larger capacity jars was to make Hertzian Oscillators
(Resonant Leyden Jars setup) and transmit a wave from one loop to another.
The transmitter loop needs the extra voltage and current to have sufficient
power to cause the receiving spark gap to have a visible discharge.
For those not aware of it, there are a number of very good safety rules when
working with elevated electrical potentials: (Van DeGraff and Wimshurst
owners take note!)
1) Always keep one hand in your pocket.
2) Stand on an insulated platform. (Little plastic step stool is
excellent.)
3) Use insulated shorting bars to discharge capacitive storage devices.
4) Assume everything to be charged even after discharge.
5) Never assume insulation will always insulate, even air conducts at 75
kV/inch.
6) Use transfer sticks to move charges from generator to jar and jar to lab
setup.
7) Never work around high voltages when tired, ill, or mentally less than
100% sharp.
The rest of the rules I did not list are really just common sense, applied
knowledge, respect for electrical energy, and a healthy dose of fear.
Have Fun and Be Safe -
Al Sefl
SFPhysics@aol.com