Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!tank!shamash!norstar!sfox
From: sfox@norstar.Duluth.MN.ORG (Scott Fox)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Help me build a "Static Simulator"?
Keywords: static shock
Message-ID: <134@norstar.Duluth.MN.ORG>
Date: 23 Feb 89 03:00:28 GMT
References: <8724@dasys1.UUCP> <577@xroads.UUCP>
Reply-To: sfox@norstar.Duluth.MN.ORG (The Man)
Distribution: na
Organization: Norstar Computing Services, Duluth MN.
Lines: 59

In article <577@xroads.UUCP> wiz@xroads.UUCP (Mike Carter) writes:

>Greg; If you're indeed interested in High Voltage experiments I suggest
>firstly obtaining a book about TESLA coils from your local library.
>What its appears you wanted is a STATIC generator, or Van De Gram Generator.
>Such devices are very DANGEROUS. It's not the actual shock that could kill
>you, it's your reaction to the jolt. High Static discharges can also pose
>a health hazzard. A Van De Graff Generator is nothing to stick your finger
>into. 
 
 The charge on the globe of a VDG generater is dependant on 
 1) is surface area and
 2) its distance from its reference (not necessarily ground)

 I built a generator with a metal salt shaker for a charging element. In DRY
 conditions it would generate a 1 to 1.5 inch spark. Roughly it takes 10,000
 volts to jump one inch. The current was zilch.

>There are other projects you could use. Jacob's ladders are easily contructed
>using two wire coat hangers and an old neon tube transformer.

Definitely dangerous. High voltage, high current, high heat (this is what
makes the arc rise)

>I would highly advise against building one though..even very, very careful
>folks like myself get **ZAPPED** enough times through the years to know
>better than to ->play-< with high voltage.
>I've built a few dangerous tesla coils before and have been fortunate only
>to have been rendered unconcious by them for brief periods. The old
>club I belonged to made a very LARGE Tesla coil and used it a few times. The
>results to nearby computer equipment was costly.
> 
Also dangerous, high voltage, high rf (burns and skin punctures through 
close but not direct contact with the electrode, due to the high rf, direct
contact will allow the energy will travel over the surface of the skin, 
you hope)
>If you want a cheap way out, I suggest buying a stun-gun from your local
>"self-protection" outfit. Those are minature Tesla coils....far safer than
>the 20 Million volt jobs. Those will kill you.
>ve heared o few horror stories about pilots getting thrown accross the
>blacktop before static bleeders. They often died.
> 
Still too much rf, all you want is static electricity. Any encyclopedia will
have a pictorial schematic of a VDF generator or look into a Wimshurst (how do
you spell it) machine.

>High voltage is not a toy...just beware.
 
 Definitely, as was stated, it is YOUR reaction to a high voltage shock,
 using my rough estimate from above, I have been hit with ~180,000 volts.
 All the shock caused was a muscle twitch in my hand. This from a 
 VDF generator with a 24 inch globe that was (foolishly) insulated from its
 reference (appx 14 inches away). Using nitrogen to dry out the atmosphere inside the belt column, and a dehumidifier to dry out the room we were able to 
 generate 1 30 inch lightning bolt. The reference for the spark was my lab
 partner, who walked through the door of the office late for class. He went
 flying back out the office door. In retrospect it was the funniest thing I've
 ever seen, he could, however, have been killed.

 Scott