Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:6329 sci.physics:8301
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.physics
Subject: Re: HV Cap Fun!
Summary: HV cap _safety_
Message-ID: <3186@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 28 May 89 15:43:54 GMT
References: <4924@m2c.M2C.ORG>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 26

In article <4924@m2c.M2C.ORG>, jds@m2c.m2c.org (jds) writes:
>   I just picked up a couple of 14ufd 25KVDC caps and am looking for something
> to do with them...  I'm looking for good demonstations, experiments, etc.
> I figure these guys could be used for a nice spark-gap demo or perhaps 
> vaporize wire.  
> 
>   If you've got any ideas, let me know!

	A brief mental calculation tells me that just one of those capacitors
can store at least 4,000 joules of energy.

	This is more than enough energy to be lethal; I would recommend
caution before attempting any "experiments" with this device.

	When I was in high school, I had a large World War II surplus
airport runway beacon which used a large coiled flashlamp with a power
supply that had an enormous oil-filled capacitor about 18 inches high.
One day, out of (with some hindsight) shear stupidity I discharged the
capacitor with a large screwdriver.  The most notable effect was the
sound of the discharge - my ears _literally_ rang for a week.  As you
might also guess, the screwdriver almost vaporized into two pieces.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp. - Uniquex Corp. - Viatran Corp.
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