[TCML] Re: Discovery Mythbusters - Liquid Stun Gun using coil

[Greg Leyh]

Hi Tony,

I was very surprised at how brightly the arc current illuminated the 
water stream.  There was no coloring added to the water, just salt.  The 
brilliant red-orange color is probably a sodium-line.  I wouldn't have 
predicted that the RMS current in the arc could have brought the sodium 
to such intensity, let alone produce any light from the water at all.
Suppose it's largely a pulsed effect.

It was amusing that, upon viewing high-speed footage after the shoot, 
the producer voiced concern over how the arc appeared as if they added 
lightsabre FX to the video...  All in all, they were a fun group to work 
with, had good snacks and they went pretty easy on the lab area.   GL


Tony Greer wrote:
  
> Hi Greg, all,
>  
> I recorded that segment, and watched it several times to see just what was  
> going on in the background. I figured that the salt water was what was  causing 
> the bright orange flashes between the primary turns when I saw  all that 
> water on the floor. Funny how the coil seemed to never skip a  beat, though. 
>  
> Interesting how the water stream acts like a breakout point and directs the  
> arcs in the direction that it's pointed. The arc seems to start at the end of  
> the contiguous stream of water a few feet from the coil, but it looked like 
> the  water stream itself was also illuminated a bright red or orange color. Was 
> it  vaporizing some of the sodium in the salt water, turning the arc red, or 
> was it  just red colored water? Even the slo-mo video looks like the arcs 
> start out  red and change to blue a couple of feet from the coil.
>  
> For those that missed it, Mythbusters was exploring the possibility of  
> making a taser which used two jets of water instead of wires to deliver the  
> charge. They started out by powering it with a stun gun, and in true Mythbuster  
> fashion, took it to the extreme by visiting Greg's Nevada Lightning Lab and  
> climbing inside the topload of his 18 foot tall TC with a big water gun.  The arcs 
> were directed with the water stream at a dummy 'perpetrator',  which caused 
> several strikes to hit it. Not at all practical, but an interesting  experiment 
> with a big TC.
>  
> Thanks for your reply Greg, and for allowing Mythbusters the use of your  
> lab. It must have been a really fun day with Jamie and Adam around!
>  
> Tony Greer
> *************