Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!gvgpsa!gold!grege
From: grege@gold.GVG.TEK.COM (Greg Ebert)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: short circuit experiences
Message-ID: <1599@gold.GVG.TEK.COM>
Date: 22 Oct 90 18:42:08 GMT
References: <34700035@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: Grass Valley Group, Grass Valley, CA
Lines: 37

In article <34700035@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
>
> [good stuff]
>
>Usual experiences with this device included a clanging sound from the walls.
>I suspected this to be the sudden rise and fall of the magnetic fields on
>the conduits.  Most circuits I ever shorted were wired in conduits.
>
>  [even better stuff]
>

I had a similar effect when I plugged-in my 120v/20A isolation transformer.
It got REALLY annoying, especially when it poinked the breaker during a
blizzard. It was truly amazing that enough force was there to cause 10 gauge
wire to rattle. In fact, I *knew* when the breaker popped based on the
tonal qualities. I was terrified that the inductive spike might zap whatever
else was on the same circuit.

I made a 'zero-cross' switch with a triac, and then shorted-out the triac 
after power-on. No more rattles. 

By the way, regarding current spikes, I poofed a $50 darlington (800v/30A)
because an extra 18" of wire had too much 1/2LI**2.

>--Phil Howard, KA9WGN-- | Individual CHOICE is fundamental to a free society
><phil@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> | no matter what the particular issue is all about.
                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
				AMEN , AMEN , AMEN !!!!


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