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Posted By: electure Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 12:48 AM
Quote
I found this on a Tesla coil
users group. These guys take "pole Pigs" and reverse feed them to power
their Teslacoils. The trick is a current limiter which commen devices
are arc welders or oven elements in series with the transformer.

But still these guys are crazy IMO! Death from a slip up hewe is not an
option - it gaurenteed!

Andy Delle


[Linked Image]
Posted By: Dave55 Re: Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 12:54 AM
What's the thrill?...other than having a fire within ten feet of Mom's car?

Dave
Posted By: frenchelectrican Re: Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 05:11 AM
the way i can see on the photo on bottom right i can see poco pole mounted type transformer and i can see why they want to reverse feed it because they can make bigger arc than the other stuff can do and i know how much it can kick out when it ran backwards [ a quick thread jack for a sec it work the same way with old two cycle diesel engines aka detroit diesel do work teh same way and one four stroke diesel can run backward very nice is older 3208 cat engines] back to normal channels here but the whole thing that anyone want to reverse run the transformer or other device they have to understand the voltage and current is much higher than they think

and that transformer can as i did see on photo it can run much as 7.2KV !! some case much higher like 14.4 range too

merci, marc
Posted By: CharlieE Re: Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 11:16 AM
Marc, it would be very rare to find a utility transformer that would have been connected phase to phase. The primary on that transformer is in the 8.66 kV class or 15 kV grounded wye. You guess of 7.2 kV is much more accurate and it could be as high as 7.62 kV. Outside of that range is unusual but possible. Some electric utilities work outside of that range, I know of some experimentation with a 23 kV distribution system but (I think) the idea was abandoned.

The bottom line is that this boy doesn't have a clue about how dangerous the stuff in his hands can be to him. [Linked Image]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Charlie Eldridge, Indianapolis, Utility Power Guy
Posted By: goodwill Re: Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 03:02 PM
"stupid is as stupid does!"---F.Gump

[This message has been edited by goodwill (edited 11-04-2004).]
Posted By: DougW Re: Dangerously Living - 11/04/04 09:32 PM
If he were older, I'd expect to hear the line
Quote
Hey... hold my beer and watch this!

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 11-04-2004).]
Posted By: Rabbit Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 01:27 AM
That is stupid I use neon sign transformers on my tesla coil. [Linked Image]
Posted By: Electricmanscott Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 02:17 AM
I wonder how many times "Dude" was used during this experiment.
Posted By: electure Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 04:03 AM
LOL [Linked Image]
Anyway dudes,

Although I never tried this stunt, I was pretty much an experimental idiot when I was young (probably still am).

Did any of you others experiment much with electricity as kids?
Posted By: Dave55 Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 04:11 AM
I jambed a screwdriver into an outlet when I was very little...big spark...fuse pop...Mom screamed.

She'd always call her friend & say, "I'm going to change a fuse, call back in a few minutes to make sure I'm OK!"

Dave
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 04:28 AM
I don't know.

I think it's a good thing that this kid is interested in something other than just sitting on the couch watching TV.

He most probably knows what he's doing.
Posted By: Scott35 Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 04:44 AM
Quote

Did any of you others experiment much with electricity as kids?

Oh, ya!

Charging P.F. Correcting / Motor Starting Capacitors rated for >450 VAC, via "Reverse-Fed" 20 - 40 VA Split-Coil Control Transformers (Sec. = 120/240 VAC, Pri. = 240/480 VAC), and "Letting A Friend Complete The Path" / "Help Discharge The Capacitor Rapidly"
This one turned into fights at times [Linked Image]
Also turned into everyone's favorite "Trick For The Newcomer(s)"!

The 'Old "Hold These Two Wires On This Coil, While I Remove The Ohmmeter's Leads" trick/test... another instant anger generator!

The classic "Please Hold These Leads, While I Crank The Megger" type of Human Being "Hi-Pot" testing.

All those above items were "Universally" experienced by myself and friends. Kind of Masochistic behavior for sure!
We were Teenagers, and doing what Teenagers do best - just do, not think!

For the "Non-Contact" / "No Pain Induced" stuff, I think the overall best was the Neon Transformer with the #12 T-Bar Ceiling wires attached to the Bushings, making the "Walking Plasma"

Minimal success was achieved using Automotive Ignition Coils and a Series Bell (for rapid open/close of the Primary Circuit).
Too little Power could flow through the Circuitry, hence tiny Arcs only.
Very boring...

If we could have got our hands on the materials to create an actual Tesla Coil, we definitely would have built one (or 20!).

We attempted to build a large Van Graff Genny, but never completed that one for some reason.
It was more of a "$$$" than "Sense" thing, too! [Linked Image]

Scott35
Posted By: goodwill Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 12:59 PM
Scott35,
you were a hell of a lot smarter than I was as a teenager(probably now too)...I was only interested in sports and girls!:-) Electricity wasn't even close to being on my mind.
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: Dangerously Living - 11/05/04 03:00 PM
Hey, when I was about 10, I decided to make my own nightlight.

So I took two strips of spring copper and wrapped one around the screwbase of a little 110-volt lightbulb I had. THen I took the other strip and bent it in a way so it touched the center contact of the bulb base.

Securing the whole assembly with MASKING TAPE (you know the white paper stuff), I shoved it into an extension cord.

Then I crawled under my desk to stick the other end of the extension cord into a light socket.....

BANG!! [Linked Image]

Apparently the strip that had been touching the center contact slipped enough to touch the screw-shell, so it was a dead short. The female end of the extension got scorched.

My mom was on the other side of the flat, in the kitchen/dining room and heard the noise and saw the lightbulb in the room flicker and dim for a bit.

"What did you do now?" she said.

"Eeehmm....nothing" I replied and went bak to my room to quickly undo my mess. [Linked Image]

Then there was the other time when I was 13 and tried to remove the lampholder from what I thought was a deactivated old light fixture at school. With a screwdriver.

The tip of the driver touched the terminal screw on the lampholder (it was one of those open-bottom ones used for wall sconces) and the shaft touched the metal frame of the fixture. It got WELDED to the lamp!!

How they figured out it was me, I'll never know. [Linked Image]
Posted By: electure Re: Dangerously Living - 11/06/04 01:00 AM
ROTFL ---"How they figured out it was me, I'll never know"

[Linked Image] Gee, maybe simple math?

1 13 yr old Sven Weil at their school + 1 Old light fixture =

[Linked Image]

Some things never change, they just grow better with age [Linked Image]





[This message has been edited by electure (edited 11-06-2004).]
Posted By: pauluk Re: Dangerously Living - 11/06/04 11:44 PM
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The 'Old "Hold These Two Wires On This Coil, While I Remove The Ohmmeter's Leads" trick/test...
You too, huh? [Linked Image]
Posted By: uksparky Re: Dangerously Living - 11/07/04 07:01 PM
Quote
I wonder how many times "Dude" was used during this experiment.

ROFLMAO..........

Well, I guess we all have to learn....but it would be nice to live long enough to put into practice what is learned!!!
Posted By: pauluk Re: Dangerously Living - 11/07/04 08:36 PM
Quote
I wonder how many times "Dude" was used during this experiment.
A more likely expression in some areas would probably be "Hey y'all, watch this!", which I understand is a sure sign that spectators should stand well clear! [Linked Image]
Posted By: bucketman Re: Dangerously Living - 11/07/04 09:41 PM
In high school i would pay for luch by putting left hand on the distributer cap and right hand on the grounded frame of a eight cycilender test engen in shop class.
I don't think I have any long term afects.☺
Posted By: Scott35 Re: Dangerously Living - 11/13/04 05:50 AM
Paul:

Quote

quote:The 'Old "Hold These Two Wires On This Coil, While I Remove The Ohmmeter's Leads" trick/test...


You too, huh? [Linked Image]

LOL!!!

The best, and for some reason, most convenient and abundant Coils used for these ... err... "Experiments" were the "Bell Ringer Coils" from Rotary Dial type Telephone Sets.

No idea why they were always "At The Right Places - At The Right Times"... maybe "Ma Bell's" Spirit enjoyed watching a humorous inductive kick once in a while.
[Linked Image]

On the subject of these Electro-Mechanical Bell Ringers, they sure were dialed into the 20 Hz Ringing Frequency, weren't they!?
Tried to make several ring from 60 Hz AC, at Voltages from 90 to 130 VAC - and no luck with them self starting!
If I "slapped" the hammer, then they would sustain ringing for a little time, but the bells would never achieve the dB output sound level of the designed ± 20 Hz from the C.O.

At the time of these "Experiments", I had no effective method to lower a Frequency.
A few years later, I hatched a few "Quick And Dirty" methods, using an Automotive Alternator driven by a PSC Motor - controlled by a Variac (one setup used a Commutator Motor and HUGE variable Resistor).

...Those Were The Days...
(sing this with a nasally "Edith Bunker" tweek).

Scott35
Posted By: pauluk Re: Dangerously Living - 11/13/04 05:42 PM
Quote
On the subject of these Electro-Mechanical Bell Ringers, they sure were dialed into the 20 Hz Ringing Frequency, weren't they!?
Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever tried ringing a Western Electric bell on 50 or 60Hz.

The ringers commonly found in the old GPO 700-series phones in Britain (nearest design equivalent to the WE 500) don't work so efficiently on 50Hz, but they will certainly start and continue ringing.
Posted By: Roger Re: Dangerously Living - 11/13/04 09:48 PM
Here's an interesting picture.

[Linked Image]

Here's Brents site.
http://www.apc.net/bturner/hv-page.htm

Sparky posted this page a couple of years ago.

Roger



[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 11-13-2004).]
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