If you need assistance, please send an email to forum at 4hv dot org. To ensure your email is not marked as spam, please include the phrase "4hv help" in the subject line. You can also find assistance via IRC, at irc.shadowworld.net, room #hvcomm.
Support 4hv.org!
Donate:
4hv.org is hosted on a dedicated server. Unfortunately, this server costs and we rely on the help of site members to keep 4hv.org running. Please consider donating. We will place your name on the thanks list and you'll be helping to keep 4hv.org alive and free for everyone. Members whose names appear in red bold have donated recently. Green bold denotes those who have recently donated to keep the server carbon neutral.
Special Thanks To:
Aaron Holmes
Aaron Wheeler
Adam Horden
Alan Scrimgeour
Andre
Andrew Haynes
Anonymous000
asabase
Austin Weil
barney
Barry
Bert Hickman
Bill Kukowski
Blitzorn
Brandon Paradelas
Bruce Bowling
BubeeMike
Byong Park
Cesiumsponge
Chris F.
Chris Hooper
Corey Worthington
Derek Woodroffe
Dalus
Dan Strother
Daniel Davis
Daniel Uhrenholt
datasheetarchive
Dave Billington
Dave Marshall
David F.
Dennis Rogers
drelectrix
Dr. John Gudenas
Dr. Spark
E.TexasTesla
eastvoltresearch
Eirik Taylor
Erik Dyakov
Erlend^SE
Finn Hammer
Firebug24k
GalliumMan
Gary Peterson
George Slade
GhostNull
Gordon Mcknight
Graham Armitage
Grant
GreySoul
Henry H
IamSmooth
In memory of Leo Powning
Jacob Cash
James Howells
James Pawson
Jeff Greenfield
Jeff Thomas
Jesse Frost
Jim Mitchell
jlr134
Joe Mastroianni
John Forcina
John Oberg
John Willcutt
Jon Newcomb
klugesmith
Leslie Wright
Lutz Hoffman
Mads Barnkob
Martin King
Mats Karlsson
Matt Gibson
Matthew Guidry
mbd
Michael D'Angelo
Mikkel
mileswaldron
mister_rf
Neil Foster
Nick de Smith
Nick Soroka
nicklenorp
Nik
Norman Stanley
Patrick Coleman
Paul Brodie
Paul Jordan
Paul Montgomery
Ped
Peter Krogen
Peter Terren
PhilGood
Richard Feldman
Robert Bush
Royce Bailey
Scott Fusare
Scott Newman
smiffy
Stella
Steven Busic
Steve Conner
Steve Jones
Steve Ward
Sulaiman
Thomas Coyle
Thomas A. Wallace
Thomas W
Timo
Torch
Ulf Jonsson
vasil
Vaxian
vladi mazzilli
wastehl
Weston
William Kim
William N.
William Stehl
Wesley Venis
The aforementioned have contributed financially to the continuing triumph of 4hv.org. They are deserving of my most heartfelt thanks.
Registered Member #902
Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042
first HV shock: 50,000V though my hand, and I could smell burnt skin for ten minutes... most damage to objects: I was testing my last coil (and the one that got me banned from doing them in the backyard even) and the capacitor failed (I think, I never did an autopsy for a cap :) and there was a very large EM Pulse... I had the thing in a faraday cage, but the pores might have been too large/small (forget since it has been a while) and I set off the majority of surge protectors that were in use [ I suspect it was because I was close to the mains line for the house, but am not sure], and fried my cellphone that was in my pocket... Tesla would have been proud lol... worst other: I was modding my xbox, and I had to temporarily store it in the garage due to company coming over (no time to close the case)... here is what happened: a thing of dust/hair or whatever they are called had gotten inside, when I brought it into the house, I plugged in the chip and closed the case, not noticing the thing, and when I powered it on, a short occurred along some caps on the corner of the motherboard, and a small fire started... it worked fine without the cap, but I have no earthly idea what that cap was for...
Registered Member #540
Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969
DaJJHman wrote ...
first HV shock: 50,000V though my hand, and I could smell burnt skin for ten minutes... most damage to objects: I was testing my last coil (and the one that got me banned from doing them in the backyard even) and the capacitor failed (I think, I never did an autopsy for a cap :) and there was a very large EM Pulse... I had the thing in a faraday cage, but the pores might have been too large/small (forget since it has been a while) and I set off the majority of surge protectors that were in use (I suspect it was because I was close to the mains line for the house, but am not sure), and fried my cellphone that was in my pocket... Tesla would have been proud lol... worst other: I was modding my xbox, and I had to temporarily store it in the garage due to company coming over (no time to close the case)... here is what happened: a thing of dust/hair or whatever they are called had gotten inside, when I brought it into the house, I plugged in the chip and closed the case, not noticing the thing, and when I powered it on, a short occurred along some caps on the corner of the motherboard, and a small fire started... it worked fine without the cap, but I have no earthly idea what that cap was for...
I'm guessing that the pulse traveled through the wires (if there were any leaving the cage).
EDIT: something is weird with the quote... It looks fine here in the edit post section. (it looks weird in the preview post area)
EDIT: I just copied all the text that was in the text box after I hit the quote button. It still does it.
MOD EDIT: There were brackets in the quoted text.. They caused your strange problem.
Registered Member #902
Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042
Myke wrote ...
DaJJHman wrote ...
first HV shock: 50,000V though my hand, and I could smell burnt skin for ten minutes... most damage to objects: I was testing my last coil (and the one that got me banned from doing them in the backyard even) and the capacitor failed (I think, I never did an autopsy for a cap :) and there was a very large EM Pulse... I had the thing in a faraday cage, but the pores might have been too large/small (forget since it has been a while) and I set off the majority of surge protectors that were in use (I suspect it was because I was close to the mains line for the house, but am not sure), and fried my cellphone that was in my pocket... Tesla would have been proud lol... worst other: I was modding my xbox, and I had to temporarily store it in the garage due to company coming over (no time to close the case)... here is what happened: a thing of dust/hair or whatever they are called had gotten inside, when I brought it into the house, I plugged in the chip and closed the case, not noticing the thing, and when I powered it on, a short occurred along some caps on the corner of the motherboard, and a small fire started... it worked fine without the cap, but I have no earthly idea what that cap was for...
I'm guessing that the pulse traveled through the wires (if there were any leaving the cage).
EDIT: something is weird with the quote... It looks fine here in the edit post section. (it looks weird in the preview post area)
do the quote numbers match? anyways, I was using an inverter from a Husky Power Pack... at this moment I honestly can't remember if the wires went through the cage or not... probably did, but I dont know... I did have the cage and the secondary share a ground though... is that bad?
MOD EDIT: fixed the rest of the mess caused by stray brackets
Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
Hi.. I once had a nasty accident with solder blobs in the eye, luckily it was fairly minor but it was also caused by solder flicking off the end of a wire.
Had a fairly nasty shock caused by an "idiot switch" on my 12V test battery, was holding it down with one hand and moving around a screwdriver to test something on a board. Didn't realise that that screwdriver had a metal post protruding out where it shouldnt have been, and promptly got zapped as little finger contacted the 12V +V side by the switch. Ow.
Registered Member #941
Joined: Sun Aug 05 2007, 10:09AM
Location: in a swedish junk pile
Posts: 497
Yesterday i hooked up my tiny little MOT and put a MOC in series with the secondary, set my current limiter to 2000W and started zapping aliminum pieces in a graphite crucible, using piece of plastic tubing normally used for electrical installations with a steel pin from a toater in one end. I sat there for a good 5 minutes zapping around, seeing that the inside of the crucible was lighting up bright, until a piece of aluminum stuck to my steel electrode, thats when i realized high voltage is no good for an arc furnace and that it only works with steel, then i gave up.
Registered Member #902
Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042
HFsstc-freak wrote ...
Yesterday i hooked up my tiny little MOT and put a MOC in series with the secondary, set my current limiter to 2000W and started zapping aluminum pieces in a graphite crucible, using piece of plastic tubing normally used for electrical installations with a steel pin from a toater in one end. I sat there for a good 5 minutes zapping around, seeing that the inside of the crucible was lighting up bright, until a piece of aluminum stuck to my steel electrode, thats when i realized high voltage is no good for an arc furnace and that it only works with steel, then i gave up.
first, don't use steel electrodes, use Graphite... and not mechanical pencils, as they are too thin, but like an Artists Graphite stick...
was it aluminum foil? as aluminum in a foil form is not generally good for working with at high temps, try to get a thicker piece and cut it up into small chunks, as it loses much surface area. Also, high Voltages are commonly not used as they have a typically lower current unless care is taken, normally they use a low voltage (like 12V) at an extremely high current: a car battery/arc welder works fine once you draw out the arc...
Registered Member #1408
Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679
I deleted my multi-paragraph description of an industrial accident with 240 mains. I didn't get any Purple Heart for it. I was 28 yrs old, out of the Service and in very good shape and thought I nearly died. There is NOTHING productive from getting hurt unless a lesson can be learned and passed to others who take heed.... My worst (electrical boo-boo) was a real standard industrial accident: looking back I don't believe there would be a great deal to prevent it from occurring. Mains (or any substantive level of current) is viciously painful and I honestly believe debilitating. I really think that getting hurt from serious shocks is "A-Class" BAD FOR YOU.
The important thing with HV as a hobby (IMO) is to find methods of experimentation that provide a high level of safety as well as enjoyment. If this thread is to be productive, any level of prevention should be examined. In industrial settings often the stupidity of others can get you hurt. So here we have a paradox......It's a damn good idea to have someone else available for CPR when working with HV but distractions or vile stupidity (by others) can be a determent to the hobby.
I'm 54 and I use a chicken stick with pride.... I also look over what I'm doing during construction and before trial. I recently went to the ARIZONA GATHERING of Tesla-Coil folks at Dr. Spark's home. A lot of GREAT stuff to see and learn there. BUT I CAME AWAY WITH A GREAT DEAL OF VALUE IN SEEING PROFESSIONAL HV ENTHUSIASTS DO THEIR THING.... 1.) They do their work in clean organized (for the most part ), professional surroundings, WITH FOCUS ON THE PROJECT.
2.) They do their work professionally and to best of their ability. No strings of wires and messy clamps across a counter top of tools and junk, with food and distractions.
3.) They execute their projects well. They do their best to make the item(s) as professional as possible. Using time, effort & money to get the best affordable & not be satisfied with half-assed workmanship.
4.) They consciously THINK about safety. Even though folks work often with potentially dangerous materials they don't let complacency make them feel like "it can't happen to them".
5.) Within design of the project at hand IS a safety element....."We can shield this" or "We can isolate this danger area of the project". By making modular components, you can pull a faulty cap bank or whatever... safely and individually.
Even though most of these guys have been doing this for a hell of a long time they don't believe it "can't happen to them".
The ARIZONA GROUP WAS A GREAT BUNCH OF GUYS...I was really inspired to learning more and achieve a MUCH higher level of professionalism and productivity by seeing what CAN be done.
Registered Member #152
Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384
HFsstc-freak wrote ...
Yesterday i hooked up my tiny little MOT and put a MOC in series with the secondary, set my current limiter to 2000W and started zapping aliminum pieces in a graphite crucible, using piece of plastic tubing normally used for electrical installations with a steel pin from a toater in one end. I sat there for a good 5 minutes zapping around, seeing that the inside of the crucible was lighting up bright, until a piece of aluminum stuck to my steel electrode, thats when i realized high voltage is no good for an arc furnace and that it only works with steel, then i gave up.
I was drawing little arcs betweel copper wire and aluminum foil. I think both have melted after some time and when I shorted the hv output - BANG! There were copper droplets everywhere on my carpet I have no idea what happened (I'm not really as good in practical chemistry :D).
Registered Member #902
Joined: Sun Jul 15 2007, 08:17PM
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 1042
Dr. Kilovolt wrote ...
HFsstc-freak wrote ...
Yesterday i hooked up my tiny little MOT and put a MOC in series with the secondary, set my current limiter to 2000W and started zapping aliminum pieces in a graphite crucible, using piece of plastic tubing normally used for electrical installations with a steel pin from a toater in one end. I sat there for a good 5 minutes zapping around, seeing that the inside of the crucible was lighting up bright, until a piece of aluminum stuck to my steel electrode, thats when i realized high voltage is no good for an arc furnace and that it only works with steel, then i gave up.
I was drawing little arcs betweel copper wire and aluminum foil. I think both have melted after some time and when I shorted the output - BANG! There were copper droplets everywhere on my carpet I have no idea what happened (I'm not really as good in practical chemistry :D).
the heated copper had an oxide form on the surface, so it had different electrical and magnetic properties than the good copper beneath, so when the power went sky high, the internal stress combined with the power combined with the weakness from the heat caused it to blow itself apart... FastMHz I think had something similar with one of his coil gun coils (not the heat and stress like you had, but the picture he posted should help explain things...
Registered Member #1407
Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 07:09AM
Location:
Posts: 222
lol the other day i was plaaying with an mot i tought it was off i was about to grab the one of the arcing elecrodes but it was a good thing i went for the heat sink i was using as an electrode first it wasnt a big diffrence in which i was about to grab both of the electrodes only 0.5 seconds when i felt little discharges to to hand that told me it was still on when ever i think of that i feel like im gonna shit myself i cold have died that day
This site is powered by e107, which is released under the GNU GPL License. All work on this site, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 License. By submitting any information to this site, you agree that anything submitted will be so licensed. Please read our Disclaimer and Policies page for information on your rights and responsibilities regarding this site.
Electronics/High voltage stories
), professional surroundings, WITH FOCUS ON THE PROJECT.
I have no idea what happened (I'm not really as good in practical chemistry :D).
