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LET'S CLEAR THIS UP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT: Tesla coils typically have very high internal resistance, like TV high voltage transformers. Their voltage is high with no load. As soon as they are connected to a load resistance (your body), the output voltage drops to a very low level, because the current is limited by this very high internal resistance. Only 1 to 5 milliamperes actually flow through the body, because the voltage drops to a much lower level. It takes about 10 times this much current to cause heart fibrillation due to disrupting nerve conduction. The ac power line, on the other hand, has VERY LOW internal resistance. If you touch a quarter of a million volt power line, even with one hand, current will conduct through you, right through your shoes, through the earth, back to the generator. You will likely die in seconds, unless you are wearing VERY THICK RUBBER boots or shoes having no holes or cracks where moisture exists. The power line voltage doesn't drop at all, because the generator has for all practical purposes zero internal resistance. Your body might even cook rapidly if the current is high enough to boil your electrolytes. People who work on these high voltages for a living use special techniques and equipment to insulate themselves to a high degree. Don't even think of playing with the power grid, even with one hand in your pocket. Alan -----Original Message----- From: David Myers [mailto:dmgraph@pulsewidth.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 11:00 PM To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: Off-topic: Home Electrical Wiring It's the truth, I've got a 1/4 million volt Tesla coil and you can grab onto it; your hair may stick out, but the amperage is nil. Also, the one-hand-in-pocket is an old but wise tactic for handling the really dangerous stuff. Explaination: you avoid catching an arc from each hand & over the heart.... >It's not the volts that'll kill ya, it's the amps. > >Be careful. Rubber-soled shoes please! > >- Larry >>> Kim Flint wrote- >>> I'm an electronics engineer, don't know anything about that high >voltage >>> stuff. Try not to touch the wires....hope that helps. >> >> >>Or if ya do touch 'em, just use one hand! >> >>Seriously, my sweetie's uncle was a high-voltage guy; he worked on wiring >>the big dams back in the 40's. Under emergency circumstances, he would >make >>repairs on live million-volt circuits -- with one hand in his pocket.