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This thread reminds me of an episode of Flip This House and the flipper, Rudy, from California. Electricity is NO JOKE.
Last edited by Trumpy; 12/31/08 09:10 AM. Reason: Change thread title
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It wasn't really an electrical prank but my wife and her metal framers got the structural inspector on his last day (retiring).
They rigged a couple walls to just be standing there (no screws). Other folks were standing around with pieces of metal stud at the ready. He came in and grabbed the first stud in the vestibule to shake it like he always did. They kicked over the loose walls and everyone threw down the extra pieces they had. It looked and sounded like the whole place was coming down.
They got a laugh out of it
Last edited by Trumpy; 12/31/08 09:07 AM. Reason: Change thread title
Greg Fretwell
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Perhaps 'pdh' stands for 'prank done here.' I notice that the title of this thread was changed ...
Last edited by Trumpy; 12/31/08 09:11 AM. Reason: Change thread title
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dang, just because I played pranks with fireworks as a kid doesn't mean.. nevermind.
Last edited by Trumpy; 12/31/08 09:12 AM. Reason: Change thread title
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That last post it looked like it was no more than 120V and rigged to give you a blast and short out across the knob giving a big flash and bang.
When I was younger we actually got our hands on an old 10,000 volt oil burner ignition transformer, and a pile of firecrackers. Basically all we did was set the transformer up out of view with a fire cracker across the secondary terminals and connect it to the switch controlled outlet at the side of the house. Wait until someone walks near the "device", close the switch momentarily and and BANG! Not only did it make all my buddies that came around jump about 10 feet straight up, it stopped the problem with door to door sales people as well.
A.D
Last edited by Trumpy; 12/31/08 09:13 AM. Reason: Change thread title
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Where does one get 10kV+ from these days without raising suspicion?
Sure,some years back you could get that from an ignition coil from a car, as in a Kettering ignition system, but now with electronic engine control systems, these sorts of things are becoming rare.
Some might say, that is a good thing.
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Trumpy,
Neon transformers are limited by the NEC to 15KV terminal to terminal, or 7.5KV between any terminals and ground.
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Another source for such high voltages .... again, becomming rare ... is the igniter transformer from an oil furnace.
HID ballasts can provide voltages anywhere between 600v and 1000v.
Then there is the case of "Mad Man Markum," who stole PoCo transformers, back-fed them, and created a Jacob's ladder arc that crossed his porch (about 6 ft.). Now there's some voltage!
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You can get some huge voltages from a simple Van De Graaff generator and still be fairly safe. You can spin one up with any small motor, like something out of one of those $10 table fans. I made one many years ago and the big problem then was finding a suitable belt. (at IBM it was easy to come up with junk motors) I ended up buying the belt from Edmund or one of those other mail order "science" places. The "ball" was an old metal globe that I buffed all the paint off of. I imagine now days with the internet, parts are easier to find.
Greg Fretwell
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