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Glenn is absolutely correct! I forgot this very important aspect!
The cage will largely prevent problems but you still need to watch this in our modern era of whimpo electronics!
Oh for the days of vacuum tubes and 1,200 volt plate supplies!
John Bowditch
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Glenn A. Walsh
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 2:52 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.
*****************************************************************************
Wayne,
John Bowditch is quite correct. However, the Faraday
Cage is not just for visitor safety. It is also for
the safety of all computers, computer-type devices,
and sensitive electronic circuits in your institution.
Without such protection, these circuits could be
fried!
Gone are the days when it is safe to opeerate a Tesla
Coil outside of a Faraday Cage, as we did for decades
at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium:
< http://buhlplanetarium3.tripod.com/BuhlTeslaCoil.JPG
>
Today, Buhl's original one-million volt Oudin-type
Tesla Coil is demostrated to the public regularly,
inside a Faraday Cage, at The Carnegie Science Center:
<
http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20050713ac_sparkPJ_450.jpg
>
Here is a photograph of a student-built Tesla Coil,
one of the entries in Buhl's annual Pittsburgh
Regional School Science and Engineering Fair, from the
Spring of 1955:
<
http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/Buhlbook1956ScienceFairTeslaCoil.JPG
>
FYI -- More info about Buhl Planetarium's original
Tesla Coil:
<
http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/Buhlexhibits.htm#teslacoil
>
gaw
--- Regina Hall <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> 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
>
> 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
>
> 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>>
> 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.
>
> Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition sails again at
> Cincinnati Museum Center; 50% larger than before and
> featuring more than 300 new artifacts recently
> recovered from the Titanic wreck site. Through May
> 6, 2007. Welcome aboard!
gaw
Glenn A. Walsh
Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] >
NEWS - Astronomy, Space, Science:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.incline.cc >
____________________________________________________________________________________
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