Nice post on the subject. I built mine when about 14 yrs old, using
the HV lead (pulled out of the side of the display tube) from a TV
flyback output. In fact, I just left the TV as a whole unit and just
let it run without the HV and used bent hanger wire for the ladder.
It worked. It was NOT safe. I don't recommend the procedure. But
there it is. And I'm glad there is the internet today to discuss
these things in a context that helps improve safety and still to get a
chance to have fun, too.
I do want to add:
1. By-and-large, neon sign transformers have a high (but maybe short of
100%) tendency to be better than flyback transformers for this.
2. Make sure the wires are adequately thick (typically in ballpark of a
couple mm wide or more)
3. Make sure the wires diverge sufficiently gently. I have heard a bit
(can't attribute) maximum divergence of 11 degrees with a "traditional"
neon sign transformer. I would advise go no more than half that -
preferably not exceed 5 degrees until you see really stromg evidence of
your arrrangement adequately reliably working with and larger angle of
divergence.
4. Have no sharp bends in wires that the arc has to climb over - the arc
may stall in a sharp transition from wires diverging by 1 degree to wires
diverging by 6 degrees even if the arc can climb through a gently curved
transition from vertical to 98 degrees of divergence!
5. Oil burner transformers come with some recommendations, some
favorable! One of mine is to operate them no more than 15, possibly 20
minutes per hour! They are much more compact than neon sign transformers,
but that comes with expense of them *NOT* being good for continuous
operation!
6. "Electronic neon sign transformers" I get a few complaints about when
used for alternative purposes that "old tech" neon sign transformers have
a good track record of being good for!
7. Fatality rate from a power-line-frequency AC shock exceeds zero at 30
milliamps or somewhat less, despite the main electric shock fatality mode
having wide citation of being high for current in a range of 100 mA to 1
amp.
Electrocution is so unreliable that "The Electric Chair" relies on eith
cooking (burning) vital organs, or paralyzing breathing muscles long
enough to get the brain so oxygen-starved as to be unable to resume
activation of breathing after the jolt ends. I expect lack of
electrocution from more moderate shocks (with current on the other side of
the peak of achievement of electrocution via the mode that electrocution
usually occurs) to be similarly unreliable.
- Don Klipstein (
[email protected])
