Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

[Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 16:35:05 -0000
From: colin.heath4 <colin.heath4@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

hi gomez,
            of course you are correct. i wouldnt offer my doings as a safety
garantee but just to share what i know (which is little).
i have seen 15 people at least do this demo pulling arcs with no probs. but
what you say i spot on. the next person could keel over from it.
cheers
colin


----- Original Message -----
From: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2003 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)


> Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2003 09:46:40 -0700
> From: Gomez <gomez@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)
>
> On Friday, December 26, 2003, at 07:39  AM, High Voltage list wrote:
>
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2003 11:19:24 -0000
> > From: colin.heath4 <colin.heath4@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)
> >
> > hi terry,
> >             i havent done a great deal with van de graaff generators
> > but
> > have used one this size. poss bigger. i have drawn the sparks to a
> > hand held
> > metal object while stood on the floor. i cant say wether its safe but
> > get to
> > about a foot long it starts to hurt a bit! i also witnessed someone
> > get what
> > you said to the forehead and they are still ok.sorry not to give more
> > theoretical answers just thought i would share what i have seen done
> > cheers
> > colin heath
>
>   I think it would be risky for us to judge the safety of a particular
> practice
> on anecdotal information alone.  People have been hit by lightning and
> lived,
> others have been hit by lightning and died.  People have been bit by
> wall juice
> and lived, others have died.  There are simply too many variables where
> electrocution
> hazards are concerned, to say "this or that is definitely safe or
> unsafe".
>
>   If you want my advice, I would go ahead and build it (I mean, hey, I
> can't be a
> hypocrite here, I am going to build one too, eventually), but plan your
> demonstrations
> and discharge electrode(s) such that friends, family, pets, antique
> electronic
> calculators, etc, will not take hits.  Your enemies on the other
> hand... :D
>
>   - Gomez
>
> ...........................................................
> The problem with using bleeding edge technology is that the
> blood that winds up on the floor is usually your own.
>
>
>