Re: re Mineral Spirits

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: re Mineral Spirits
From: Bob Misiura <misiura-at-nccoast-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 16:16:40 -0700
Approved: twf-at-verinet-dot-com

Water couldn't be used for a dielectric because it will dissolve
minerals and become conductive, but the science teacher is correct in
stating that pure water doesn't conduct electricity.  Good distilled
water has a conductivity of only a few micro moh's.

I worked in a analytical chemical laboratory repairing instruments.  The
chemists were always complaining of being shocked by the de-ionized
water spigot.  I could never find any voltage on the spigot or
surrounding equipment.  I had read about a device that used water
falling from a tank to produce static electricity.  It was similar to
what we had at the laboratory.  The water in the pipe was a good enough
insulator to allow a charge of static to be felt at the spigot, and my
10 megohm digital meter was a good enough conductor to drain it without
measuring it.