Re: NON-static shocks from unpowered secondary?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <tesla123-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Hi Ed, All -

Ed, I have to agree from my experience. What is my experience you ask?
Well, I've never, no not
once, ever been shocked by my coils. This includes big sonotube coils and
thick pvc tube coils.
I've run in freezing dry clymates in the winter to very humid in the summer
(Minnesota) to
perfect weather (California now). The only other situation I see is I
always use the same
coating. Marine Spar Varnish. Mainly because it goes on thick and remains
flexible for varying
temperatures (doesn't crack with weather - but it will peel off if the coil
is damaged). I
expect I'll never get this type of shock if the coating is the main cause.

Take care,
Bart

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> > >I live in Southern Ontario, and it gets very dry in the winter. With a
> bit of
> > >shuffling, I can pull 1"+ static sparks. In fact, I do this all the
time on
> > >purpose - I KNOW what static shocks feel like.
> > >
> > >
> > Hi Patrick...
> >
> > Many of us have also been nailed by the " unconnected" secondary and
> > have our own war stories. Thinking back on the "attack" I had, (
> > prompted by your email) just maybe , remotely possible, something to
> > think about,  I wonder if the body acts as a capacitor in conjunction
> > with the secondary for that brief instant we recieve the shock ( and
> > thats why it is so intence? and kinda like an AC feeling)  is it
> > possible that between us and the secondary combination we get an
> > oscilation for that microsecond of contact???
> >
> > Scot D
>
>         I believe that the charge is stored in the dielectric coating
(varnish
> or whatever) on the outside of the secondary.  Reason is that when I
> touch one end of a "charged" secondary with one hand, and move the other
> along the coil I get repeated discharges, as the dielectric is
> discharged locally.  It's surprising how sharp and uncomfortable the
> jolts can be, even from a small coil.
>
> Ed