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TC produce X-Rays?





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From:  Jim Lux [SMTP:James.P.Lux-at-jpl.nasa.gov]
Sent:  Tuesday, August 11, 1998 9:55 AM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  Re: TC produce X-Rays?

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> ----------
> From:  Mad Coiler [SMTP:tesla_coiler-at-hotmail-dot-com]
> Sent:  Monday, August 10, 1998 8:22 PM
> To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:  TC produce X-Rays?
> 
> Coilers,
> 
> Someone the other day told me to be careful with Tesla Coils cause they
> can produce *dangerous* x-rays. I was just wondering if anybody ever
> measured any x-rays produced by TC's? I told the guy that I didnt think
> so - I thought you had to have a decent vacuum to create x-rays. I would
> amagine the UV produced by the spark gap (and streamers?) is much more
> dangerous than any x-rays that are produced (if any?).
> So, does anyone have any info on this?

You are right. No vacuum, no xrays. (Yes, you can make xrays with a
sufficiently fast rise time pulse, but TC's are many,many orders of
magnitude too low (you need something like 1e9 amp/uSec))

UV is somewhat of a hazard, although the current in the spark is pretty
low, compared to notable eye hazards like a welder. TC sparks just
aren't all that bright. I wouldn't stare at the spark gap (and would
shield it for convenience, as well).

Based on my own experience with HV spark producing devices, I think that
loud noise is probably your biggest hazard. It is insidious (you don't
know you are going deaf as it happens). Those sparks are really loud,
and impulsive to boot, which means that they don't register on a cheap
sound level (e.g. Radio Shack) as high as they should.