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Re: My first ARSG, or a Dangerous Design? and SAFETY



Original poster: "colin.heath4 by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <colin.heath4-at-ntlworld-dot-com>

hi all
         if you want a good gaurd for this spark gap design i suggest
extruded polycarbonate (macrolon) excuse spelling this stuff can be bullet
proof so should be ok
i would say the main dangers are indeed the rotor coming loose but no more
so than other risks associated with coiling
anyone with any regard for safety would never opperate a rotary gap without
a full enclosure anyway. which i come into the class of when im at home
although when i go to teslathons i enclose my gaps with a scatter shield
yes this design needs consideration but the original builder suggests a
gaurd
cheers
colin

----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 7:00 PM
Subject: RE: My first ARSG, or a Dangerous Design? and SAFETY


 > Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz
<teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
 >
 >
 > Dan, the construction quality and attention to detail in your rotary gap
is
 > apparent from your photos. Unfortunately, the basic design is severely
 > flawed. If you actually intend to power this rotor up, PLEASE equip it
with
 > a multi-layer safety shield/enclosure of Lexan,  3/4" plywood, or steel
 > pipe, etc that can stop the rod when it separates from the hub.
 > Additionally, I'd orient the gap vertically, and stay out of the plane of
 > the rotor when its operating.
 >
 > As for others contemplating the construction of this type of gap, I'd
 > emphatically urge "DON'T DO IT". The risks are just too high.
 >
 >
 > Scott,
 >
 > Agreed.  This is a very dangerous design.  I do plan on fully enclosing
this
 > in a safety enclosure.
 > And I would not recommend this gap to anyone that doesn't use a safety
 > enclosure for it.
 > However, there are just as many (if not more dangerous) risks in general
 > tesla coiling itself.
 > There has been a recent trend (in my opinion) of many individuals jumping
 > right into tesla coiling
 > and buying a pole transformer to start off with.  In my opinion, there
 > nothing more dangerous in tesla
 > coiling than the output of one of these beasts.
 >
 > There is always talk about the safety hazards with tesla coils (and for
the
 > time being this ARSG design), but
 > I have almost never seen anyone wearing even eye protection.  Sure, people
 > will wear hearing protection, but I am
 > still puzzled why many don't wear safety glasses?  Are the eyes not that
 > important compared to hearing?
 >
 > Figure you have rotary spark gaps which during mechanical failure can be
 > extremly hazardous to the eyes, high power
 > transformers, high voltage bushings (very prone to explosion), and
 > capacitors (very prone to explosion).
 >
 > So again, I do agree this design is dangerous and that is why its going in
a
 > safety enclosure, but I think we should
 > start with personal safety protection before we worry about the equipment.
 > Run safety chains around your dangerous high voltage equipment, make sure
 > all guests wear both hearing and eye protection, etc...
 >
 > One particular recent event which I attended this summer involved a high
 > voltage / huge capacitor bank can crusher and
 > wire exploding device.  I absolutely CRINGE when I look back at the video
to
 > see a huge group of people surrounding this thing with no eye protection
and
 > no safety barriers.  And I have on video a young teenager walking past the
 > huge capacitor
 > bank which was fully charged (LETHAL) not having a clue of how close to
 > death he was.  The person who holds this event
 > (whose name I won't mention) I know has the greatest respect for the
dangers
 > of tesla coils and he does stress safety at his
 > events.  However, when there are a lot of people and lots of excitement
 > occuring, this can be difficult to enforce.  In hindsight, I probably
would
 > have put up a large safety barrier chain and kept people a lot farther
away
 > from this thing.
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > Dan, the construction quality and attention to detail in your rotary gap
is
 > apparent from your photos. Unfortunately, the basic design is severely
 > flawed. If you actually intend to power this rotor up, PLEASE equip it
with
 > a multi-layer safety shield/enclosure of Lexan,  3/4" plywood, or steel
 > pipe, etc that can stop the rod when it separates from the hub.
 > Additionally, I'd orient the gap vertically, and stay out of the plane of
 > the rotor when its operating.
 >
 > As for others contemplating the construction of this type of gap, I'd
 > emphatically urge "DON'T DO IT". The risks are just too high.
 >
 > Regards,
 > Scott Hanson
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > ----- Original Message ----- type
 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 7:50 PM
 > Subject: My first ARSG - Tribute to Terry Blake !
 >
 >
 >   > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>"
 > <dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>
 >   >
 >   > I just finished my first ARSG and to my knowledge, I think I am the
first
 > to
 >   > follow in the footsteps of Terry Blake's Propeller-Rotor design.
 >   > Thanks to Terry Blake's ingeniusness, we individuals who lack the
 > machining
 >   > equipment to make a precision balanced rotor can now have a
 >   > top quality rotary spark gap.
 >   >
 >   > Here is a picture of my ARSG:
 >   >
 >   > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/images/arsg01.jpg
 >   >
 >   > Here is the complete webpage:
 >   >
 >   > http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/teslacoil9.htm
 >   >
 >   > And here you can see the genius himself at work creating a wide
variety
 > of
 >   > different Propellar-Rotor sparkgap designs:
 >   >
 >   > http://www.tb3-dot-com/tesla/sparkgaps/index.html
 >   >
 >   > Thanks again Terry for the help!!!  Lets hope it works as good as it
 > looks!
 >   > Better wear those safety glasses!
 >   >
 >   > Dan
 >   >
 >   >
 >   > ---
 >   > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by SURFSIDE INTERNET]
 >   >
 >   >
 >
 > ---
 > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by SURFSIDE INTERNET]
 >
 >