Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
ScottH, Thu Mar 23 2017, 06:55AMAssuming that primary voltage was purely isolated. I know this isn't realistic.
In this scenario, a streamer from the secondary cannot strike any primary components. Your coil is 6 feet tall, and well tuned. It puts out 500kV in the kHz range (10s--hundreds?). You are standing barefoot on the ground, and you're holding a metal rod. You conduct a streamer to the metal rod for 10 seconds.
You do this only once, and of course you may get major RF burns. Since the frequency is so high that it doesn't affect the nervous system, will a coil that size (secondary HF only) be lethal?
The reason I ask this is because I've seen people on TV shooting streamers from large 1MV coils out of their fingertips with no apparent harm. They do this over and over at shows too.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
Finn Hammer, Thu Mar 23 2017, 07:20AM
ScottH
This question has been pondered upon for decades and the the short answer is: Nobody knows.
I guess if it really mattered, a pig would be sedated and put to the test.
Cheers, Finn Hammer
Finn Hammer, Thu Mar 23 2017, 07:20AM
ScottH
This question has been pondered upon for decades and the the short answer is: Nobody knows.
I guess if it really mattered, a pig would be sedated and put to the test.
Cheers, Finn Hammer
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
Dr. Slack, Thu Mar 23 2017, 09:01AM
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
Dr. Slack, Thu Mar 23 2017, 09:01AM
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
ScottH, Thu Mar 23 2017, 11:27AM
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
ScottH, Thu Mar 23 2017, 11:27AM
Dr. Slack wrote ...
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
loneoceans, Thu Mar 23 2017, 10:45PM
Do not try this at home!~
loneoceans, Thu Mar 23 2017, 10:45PM
ScottH wrote ...
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
Dr. Slack wrote ...
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
Do not try this at home!~
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
ScottH, Fri Mar 24 2017, 05:28AM
How is he not at least unconsious? Why is he not affected by those sparks? That must be a couple hundred Kv.
ScottH, Fri Mar 24 2017, 05:28AM
loneoceans wrote ...
Do not try this at home!~
ScottH wrote ...
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
Dr. Slack wrote ...
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
People who do this at shows tend to wear chain-mail suits and gloves. Whether everybody who does this at shows does is another matter.
I seen a thing on TV years ago where some dude sat on top of a coil unprotected (short sleeves if I recall, so no suit underneath), and he had metal tips on each fingertip so the arcs wouldn't burn him. The lightning shot out of those metal pieces on his fingertips into the air. The coil was large, and it was stated to be at 1 million volts. I can't find that video online, but if I do I will place a link.
Do not try this at home!~
How is he not at least unconsious? Why is he not affected by those sparks? That must be a couple hundred Kv.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
dexter, Fri Mar 24 2017, 08:03AM
maybe he has a wire between the topload and breakpoint
dexter, Fri Mar 24 2017, 08:03AM
ScottH wrote ...
How is he not at least unconsious? Why is he not affected by those sparks? That must be a couple hundred Kv.
How is he not at least unconsious? Why is he not affected by those sparks? That must be a couple hundred Kv.
maybe he has a wire between the topload and breakpoint
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
Mads Barnkob, Fri Mar 24 2017, 08:41AM
Zilipoper did a lot of videos with similar experiments, I would not do any of this.
Mads Barnkob, Fri Mar 24 2017, 08:41AM
Zilipoper did a lot of videos with similar experiments, I would not do any of this.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
ScottH, Fri Mar 24 2017, 01:18PM
So these videos indicate that a medium Tesla coil's secondary current alone is non-lethal? Do they even feel a shock?
ScottH, Fri Mar 24 2017, 01:18PM
Mads Barnkob wrote ...
Zilipoper did a lot of videos with similar experiments, I would not do any of this.
Zilipoper did a lot of videos with similar experiments, I would not do any of this.
So these videos indicate that a medium Tesla coil's secondary current alone is non-lethal? Do they even feel a shock?
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
Hazmatt_(The Underdog), Fri Mar 24 2017, 04:13PM
I watched those videos too, they state that the demonstrator feels a buzzing in their whole body.
One was not careful and their hands went below their head for a moment and an arc broke out of their skull, then quickly raised their hands again. So they definitely felt something, but it did not knock them unconscious.
If the breaks are fast enough on a SGTC its going to operate more like a continuous source and should be less painful if there is a mishap, and I think they were running the coil with the demonstrator at a higher break rate because the streamers seemed to be continuous.
Whenever I'm running my coil I'm running at the lowest break rate for longer arcs and you can see and hear the difference between 120 and 240 B.P.S. (240 is no longer peak charging so there is less energy)
They were most likely running off a pole pig, so they had lots of power and they could run easily at a higher break rate.
When running my coil (~ 1KW) I prefer to ground the end of fluorescent tubes because I am running at the lowest break rate and the topload tends to dump its charge which is very uncomfortable. With more power and a higher break rate you probably would just feel a tingle, but the lower break rate tends to zap you in pulses and it can be pretty intense, but not lethal.
Hazmatt_(The Underdog), Fri Mar 24 2017, 04:13PM
I watched those videos too, they state that the demonstrator feels a buzzing in their whole body.
One was not careful and their hands went below their head for a moment and an arc broke out of their skull, then quickly raised their hands again. So they definitely felt something, but it did not knock them unconscious.
If the breaks are fast enough on a SGTC its going to operate more like a continuous source and should be less painful if there is a mishap, and I think they were running the coil with the demonstrator at a higher break rate because the streamers seemed to be continuous.
Whenever I'm running my coil I'm running at the lowest break rate for longer arcs and you can see and hear the difference between 120 and 240 B.P.S. (240 is no longer peak charging so there is less energy)
They were most likely running off a pole pig, so they had lots of power and they could run easily at a higher break rate.
When running my coil (~ 1KW) I prefer to ground the end of fluorescent tubes because I am running at the lowest break rate and the topload tends to dump its charge which is very uncomfortable. With more power and a higher break rate you probably would just feel a tingle, but the lower break rate tends to zap you in pulses and it can be pretty intense, but not lethal.
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
ScottH, Sat Mar 25 2017, 07:30AM
It has enough current to make the metal wire on his face glow hot. The current is going through his head!
Would he be able to do this on an Ark Attack sized coil?
ScottH, Sat Mar 25 2017, 07:30AM
Hazmatt_(The Underdog) wrote ...
I watched those videos too, they state that the demonstrator feels a buzzing in their whole body.
One was not careful and their hands went below their head for a moment and an arc broke out of their skull, then quickly raised their hands again. So they definitely felt something, but it did not knock them unconscious.
If the breaks are fast enough on a SGTC its going to operate more like a continuous source and should be less painful if there is a mishap, and I think they were running the coil with the demonstrator at a higher break rate because the streamers seemed to be continuous.
Whenever I'm running my coil I'm running at the lowest break rate for longer arcs and you can see and hear the difference between 120 and 240 B.P.S. (240 is no longer peak charging so there is less energy)
They were most likely running off a pole pig, so they had lots of power and they could run easily at a higher break rate.
When running my coil (~ 1KW) I prefer to ground the end of fluorescent tubes because I am running at the lowest break rate and the topload tends to dump its charge which is very uncomfortable. With more power and a higher break rate you probably would just feel a tingle, but the lower break rate tends to zap you in pulses and it can be pretty intense, but not lethal.
I watched those videos too, they state that the demonstrator feels a buzzing in their whole body.
One was not careful and their hands went below their head for a moment and an arc broke out of their skull, then quickly raised their hands again. So they definitely felt something, but it did not knock them unconscious.
If the breaks are fast enough on a SGTC its going to operate more like a continuous source and should be less painful if there is a mishap, and I think they were running the coil with the demonstrator at a higher break rate because the streamers seemed to be continuous.
Whenever I'm running my coil I'm running at the lowest break rate for longer arcs and you can see and hear the difference between 120 and 240 B.P.S. (240 is no longer peak charging so there is less energy)
They were most likely running off a pole pig, so they had lots of power and they could run easily at a higher break rate.
When running my coil (~ 1KW) I prefer to ground the end of fluorescent tubes because I am running at the lowest break rate and the topload tends to dump its charge which is very uncomfortable. With more power and a higher break rate you probably would just feel a tingle, but the lower break rate tends to zap you in pulses and it can be pretty intense, but not lethal.
It has enough current to make the metal wire on his face glow hot. The current is going through his head!
Would he be able to do this on an Ark Attack sized coil?
Re: Can the Secondary Output of a Tesla Coil be Lethal?
zrg, Sat Mar 25 2017, 10:36AM
I personally had experienced two cases of catching high power Tesla Coil discharge to bare body. One of them was body-to-air streamer of 5-6 kVa SGTC (from my head when I lowered my hands while sitting on the topload, yeah), for about 1/3 of a second. That was quite unpleasant, but more unexpected rather than painful. The coil operator switched it down immediately. There even was a video somewhere of this moment.
The other one was 2-4 kVa DRSSTC, and I happened to be grounded (standing near a metal pipe) when topload terminal suddenly fell off and streamer appeared from the opposite side of topload and found my hand (so it was hand to feet ground strike). That was much more unpleasant and painful than the first case, and was enough to teach me the rule of the safe operation area while running large coils :)
However, there were no long-lasting effects or any noticed harm.
Surely do not try this at home and/or alone.
zrg, Sat Mar 25 2017, 10:36AM
I personally had experienced two cases of catching high power Tesla Coil discharge to bare body. One of them was body-to-air streamer of 5-6 kVa SGTC (from my head when I lowered my hands while sitting on the topload, yeah), for about 1/3 of a second. That was quite unpleasant, but more unexpected rather than painful. The coil operator switched it down immediately. There even was a video somewhere of this moment.
The other one was 2-4 kVa DRSSTC, and I happened to be grounded (standing near a metal pipe) when topload terminal suddenly fell off and streamer appeared from the opposite side of topload and found my hand (so it was hand to feet ground strike). That was much more unpleasant and painful than the first case, and was enough to teach me the rule of the safe operation area while running large coils :)
However, there were no long-lasting effects or any noticed harm.
Surely do not try this at home and/or alone.
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