Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!pyrnj!bartal!phillip From: phillip@bartal.CRLABS.COM (Phillip M. Vogel) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Zap, fry, and sizzle Message-ID: <59@bartal.CRLABS.COM> Date: 3 Mar 90 05:30:32 GMT References: <799@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> <1990Feb22.021702.24662@cs.rochester.edu> <7839@yunexus.UUCP> Reply-To: phillip@bartal.CRLABS.COM (Phillip M. Vogel) Organization: Bartal Design Group, Inc. - Englewood, NJ Lines: 30 Yeah, well I swore I wasn't gonna get into this, but we all know I can't be trusted.... Back in the good old days, I was working in a motorcycle shop. One of the tricks we used to play on newcomers was this: You take a pull off a lead from a spark plug. Hold the case of a 'condensor' (a few uf capacitor) against the exposed plug terminal. Hold the lead a fraction of an inch away from the other end of the condensor. Start the engine. The ignition system will arc through the capacitor, charging it up to some rather high voltage (no, I don't know how high, but trust me). Now you hand the charged cap to the new mechanic and tell him to return it to the parts department. It will take a few seconds before he touches both ends, but when he does..... Believe me, this was done at least a dozen times in my years in the business, and it NEVER failed. And yes, they got me with it when I was the new guy. This reminds me of the (possibly only good) line in the movie 'War Games' when the officer says "I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it would help". ouch. Phillip -- Phillip M. Vogel, President | #include Bartal Design Group, Inc. Englewood, NJ | (201)567-1343 FAX:(201)568-2891 UUCP: pyrnj!bartal!phillip | Domain: phillip@bartal.crlabs.com