Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ogicse!blake!wiml
From: wiml@blake.acs.washington.edu (William Lewis)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Anyone know about arc generators? `ffzzapp'
Summary: FZzzzzapBANG!
Message-ID: <5712@blake.acs.washington.edu>
Date: 12 Feb 90 19:06:46 GMT
References: <5237@vax1.tcd.ie> <286@venice.SEDD.TRW.COM> <1990Jan31.155511.20128@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> <1141@carroll1.cc.edu> <1990Feb3.030018.25484@chinet.chi.il.us>
Reply-To: wiml@blake.acs.washington.edu (William Lewis)
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 25

In article <1990Feb3.030018.25484@chinet.chi.il.us> darus@chinet.chi.il.us (james wygralak) writes:
>In article <1141@carroll1.cc.edu> dnewton@carroll1.cc.edu (Dave Newton the Late) writes:
>>In article <1990Jan31.155511.20128@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> dkazdan@cwsys2.UUCP (David Kazdan, M.D.) writes:
>>>CAUTION:  LETHAL DEVICE.
>>
>>   Not necessarily--I've been zapped by tesla's and other low-current/high-
>
>The key word here is high frequency. There is a phenomenon know as the
>skin-effect. It refers to the tendency of high frequency signals to travel
 ...
>A jacobs ladder is NOT a high frequency device. It operates at 60hz.

  A Jacob's Ladder can presumably operate at any frequency, down to DC.
I'd assume that they would operate better at DC than high frequencies,
for the same reason relays can handle higher AC currents than DC, but
all you need is a lot of potential drop and a gas between the electrodes.

>12kv is plenty to develop this much current if you were to grab the 
>posts of a jacobs ladder while it is energized.            ^^^^^^^^
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   Ye gods, anyone THAT stupid probably deserves it ... =8(

-- 
wiml@blake.acs.washington.edu        (206)526-5885      Seattle, Washington