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



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
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