ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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you may want to add this info to your file :)
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Bowditch
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 2:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tesla Coil Exhibit
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Hi Wayne,
The cage is known as a "Faraday Cage" Construction is quite easy and you can use any reasonable wire mesh for this. The important thing to remember is that this cage MUST be properly grounded. Then no-one outside the cage can get hurt by what goes on inside. My guess is that the coil you have been offered isn't especially powerful or dangerous. You should check out the inlet wiring to this device. It's not the high voltage secondary of a Tesla Coil that is dangerous, it's the inlet "low-voltage" wiring that includes the power cord and primary of the inlet high voltage transformer, etc. In addition, make sure the secondary of this transformer is properly grounded in accordance with the transformer's manufacturer's requirements.
While it's not impossible that this unit was built "according to code" it's also highly unlikely that it was and you need to make sure that it is safe in these ways, especially for the safety of your own staff.
The Orlando Science Center has a Tesla Coil set up just as you describe and it works great as an unattended exhibit.
Good luck!
John Bowditch
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wayne Watson
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 9:35 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Tesla Coil Exhibit
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
A student is willing to donate a small Tesla coil to us, 3' tall*. I
like the idea but we are too small to staff it, and the museum is
reluctant to accept it on safety concerns. I've seen a very large
version of the device in action in an electronics store (Fry's, Fremont,
CA), and it is in a large cage (probably 12' on a side). They used to
set it off about every hour, but it's a bit worn down now. This suggests
to me that if we built a cage for it, then we could do a similar thing.
That is, no staff and just let'er rip every once in awhile. My question
is how do we build a cage? That is, how does one build a cage of proper
dimensions to keep someone from getting hurt?
* He really did a good job, and has volunteered to do another such item
if the Tesla coil doesn't work out.
--
Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet
"We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we
used to lay on our backs and look up at them and discuss
whether they was made, or only just happened."
-- "Huckleberry Finn", Mark Twain
Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>
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Hurricane on the Bayou, now showing at The New Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater. You'll be blown away by this moving message about the importance of wetlands conservation and the dire consequences resulting from the destruction of the Louisiana bayou.
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