Re: Very COOL AVI

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Very COOL AVI
From: richard hull <rhull-at-richmond.infi-dot-net>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 08:10:53 -0500 (EST)
Subscriber: rhull-at-richmond.infi-dot-net Fri Jan 24 22:21:13 1997
At 10:53 PM 1/23/97 -0700, you wrote:
>> Subject: Re: Very COOL AVI
>
>Subscriber: jpbazemo-at-ouray.cudenver.edu Thu Jan 23 22:44:52 1997
>Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:35:26 -0700 (MST)
>From: "J. Bazemore" <jpbazemo-at-ouray.cudenver.edu>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Cc: Tesla-list-subscribers-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Very COOL AVI
>
>On Tue, 21 Jan 1997, Tesla List wrote:
>
>> Subscriber: knardell-at-mailhost.accesscom-dot-net Tue Jan 21 22:41:10 1997
>> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:33:46 -0600
>> From: Kevin Nardelle <knardell-at-mailhost.accesscom-dot-net>
>> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>> Subject: Re: Very COOL AVI
>> 
>> A
>> >Kevin, 
>> >
>> >You're approaching the point where the power level and efficiency of
>> >your coil will cause permanent damage to the computer in your room. The
>
>
>
>	This happened to my computer--I had unplugged it, but
>unfortunately, the phone line was still plugged in.  The phone line
>goes into a modem board in the back of the computer (ISA slot) and
>right below it was the VIP board for the VFX-1 VR headset.  After
>discharging the coil in the next room, about 15' away, I noticed
>transient and intermittent problems with the video display (i.e., fading
>out from full color to white, strange lines, etc.).  What happened,
>I suppose, is that enough voltage was induced in the phone line to
>arc over to the other circuit board.  The distance inside between
>the two boards was about 1/4".  The phone line ran through the room
>with the coil, but it was several feet away, on the floor, and the
>coil only used a 120mA, 7200V neon sign xformer.  But I guess this was
>enough.
>snip...snip. snip

All,

I have worked on and repaired computer based equipment for years.  The
absolute #1 best way to kill a CPU is a modem!!  It is the one weak link in
the chain.  The phone lines are much higher impedance than any power line
and are far less protected from moderate to high transients.

You can use the best power strip and surge suppressors on your CPU but leave
the modem plugged to the phone line and you have placed a large antenna into
the atmosphere and virtually wired it into the heart of your computer!!!
Power lines kill computers on a ratio of 1 to 100 as compared to modems,
especially around Tesla coils!!!!

Always unplug the phone line from your modem if you are not siting infront
of the glowing screen!!!

Richard Hull, TCBOR