Safety Hints
- If you have no or little experience with electricity, maybe you shouldn't
build any high voltage stuff yet.
- Never assume the power is off. (This has happened to me a few times
with the 15-40kV ignition coil device.)
- Use long, plastic insulating rods if attempting to draw arcs manually.
- Be aware of the voltage of your source. It takes about 1kV to jump
1.1mm.
- Always discharge any high voltage capacitors after use. A discharge
from a capacitor is quite lethal even if the charging supply current is
low. I always discharge my capacitors twice each, just to be on the safe
side. If capacitors are connected in series always discharge them individually.
- Beware of high voltage mains transformers as their operating frequency
is particulary dangerous. 50Hz (european power line frequency) is probably
the most dangerous frequency.
- Use good high voltage wire for anything permanent, that way it will
prevent arcs from puncturing the wire and causing fires and/or shocks.
- After you're done always turn off the power. This will prevent other
things/people from coming in contact with it and will prevent fires.
- Jacob's ladders and anything else which creates sparks or arcs also
creates ozone and in some cases other gases which are poisonous in large
amounts, so provide proper ventilation or don't run the device for long
periods. The high frequency supplies usually produce more ozone, or so
it seems.
- This is just a general list, it is most certainly not complete, but
for a more complete list look at the list on Don
Klipstien's page.
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