Not your father's tele

[mayfly]

I have complete faith in Cagey's ability to not electrocute someone else while messing with 20KV. 

 

[Cagey]

Thank you. I try to keep things safe. I don't have so many friends and family left that I can afford to inadvertently taser them against their will  :icon_biggrin:

 

[mayfly]

Here's my death rig:

Hey!!  Is this all sitting on top of a beer keg??? 

 

[Cagey]

Makes sense to me. Beer kegs are pretty sturdy.

 

[dmraco]

don't let this happen

[youtube]P35HRYHFz7c[/youtube]

 

[Sovereign_13]

I apologize, my comment wasn't directed at anyone in particular.  I blame English's lack of a plural/generalized "you".  I did not intend to disparage anyone's experience or ability.

I'm also an EE, albeit with considerably less experience (both in general and doing crazy things).

I've no doubt there's enough common sense here to burn wood with kilovolt transformers in a safe (and awesome) manner.

 

[rgand]

I like the process. I wouldn't hesitate to give it a try if I wanted to get that effect, which is totally cool.

So one guy killed himself doing it. How many others have died using power tools or even hand tools? I know of one local guy who killed himself using a cutting torch. Everything takes common sense and the use of proper precautions.

 

[Cagey]

I apologize, my comment wasn't directed at anyone in particular.

No need to apologize. Nobody posts their resume here. There are engineers, doctors, lawyers, cops, EMTs, programmers, etc. I think one guy even plays guitar! How is anybody supposed to know what some people do or have done or where they came from? Because of that, it's usually better to err on the safe side. Disciplines don't often overlap. For example, lawyers are usually pretty sharp, but one probably shouldn't assume they know Ohm's law from the law of averages.

I'm also an EE, albeit with considerably less experience (both in general and doing crazy things).

See? We're learning things!  :icon_biggrin:

I've no doubt there's enough common sense here to burn wood with kilovolt transformers in a safe (and awesome) manner.

Probably. But, you never know. Catch most professional-types in a vulnerable moment, and they'll tell you it takes a lotta mistakes to learn what they know.

 

[mayfly]

Probably. But, you never know. Catch most professional-types in a vulnerable moment, and they'll tell you it takes a lotta mistakes to learn what they know.

in a small voice:  "I once managed to vaporize a 12 gauge wire...."

 

[swarfrat]

Like that one time I slipped while tweaking a tone control in the plate circuit experiment, guitar in one hand, touched B+ 330VDC (with negligible AC component - I was playing in my apartment). Felt like someone jammed an icepick all the way up my index finger through the bone to the 2nd knuckle.  Glad it was a little EL84 amp. 

 

[Cagey]

Once?

 

[mayfly]

Once so far...

 

[Rich]

Here's my death rig:

Hey!!  Is this all sitting on top of a beer keg???

Currently, yes. Just cut the top out of it to serve as my boil kettle, but when I burn the unit sits outside on a table.

 

[Cagey]

What did you use for wire on the secondary of that transformer?

 

[Sovereign_13]

I guess I'm one of those people who uses the word "you" when I mean "people in general".

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever seen a residential switch like that.  Neat stuff.  (Learning stuff!)

 

[Rich]

What did you use for wire on the secondary of that transformer?

Just stranded 10 i think

 

[Cagey]

I guess I'm one of those people who uses the word "you" when I mean "people in general".

I think that's most people. Or, at least native English speakers.

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever seen a residential switch like that.  Neat stuff.  (Learning stuff!)

They're often used when switching things you can't necessarily see/hear to get feedback about status from, such as whole-house fans, external garage lighting, transformers with exposed leads that can kill you, things like that. The light doesn't necessarily mean things are happening the way you want them to, but but at least therer's an indication that you've made your intentions known. Kind of a "switch position indicator". In fancier circuits, there'd be some sort of actual feedback to light the light and let you know what you've initiated actually took place.

 

[Cagey]

What did you use for wire on the secondary of that transformer?

Just stranded 10 i think

I would have thought it would be something special, unless you're wearing gloves or something. Not the wire, but the insulation. Most building wire and machine tool wire insulation is only rated from 250 to 600 vac. You may want to check that before you get surprised. Failure is usually pretty abrupt - you won't get a warning. Goes off like a firecracker.

We used to blow up 'scope probes from time to time working 480, because the peak-to-peak was well over 600v, which is what the probes were rated for. You'd be standing there shooting the breeze, smokin' cigarettes and drinkin' coffee, and suddenly KAPOW! Probe would blow up for no apparent reason. Scare the hell out of you, and total a $350 probe. Tektronix made higher voltage probes, but they cost about 78 bajillion dollars apiece, so we took our chances. Didn't happen often, so it seemed fair. Of course, those were less litigious times. Kids today would probably sue the company into insolvency so they could get back to their video games instead of working for a living :laughing7:

 

[BigSteve22]

Here's my death rig:

Hey!!  Is this all sitting on top of a beer keg???

Currently, yes. Just cut the top out of it to serve as my boil kettle, but when I burn the unit sits outside on a table.

Wow, a 2000 volt death rig AND a home made boil pot. I think my Dad would have liked you!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Sovereign_13]

The light doesn't necessarily mean things are happening the way you want them to, but but at least therer's an indication that you've made your intentions known. Kind of a "switch position indicator". In fancier circuits, there'd be some sort of actual feedback to light the light and let you know what you've initiated actually took place.

Wouldn't the switch position be indicated by...well, the switch position?  :icon_scratch:  Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying.  Is the power to the light separate from the power through the switch?

It seems if the power flows through the switch and then through the light, the light pretty well indicates the power is on.  It wouldn't tell you anything else, I suppose.  Am I overthinking this?