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Shocking question! — Parallax Forums

Shocking question!

stevelsstevels Posts: 19
edited 2006-11-23 13:42 in General Discussion
Here is a shocking question.

I am working with a prototype oil burner gun, like we use to heat our homes with here in the North East. I have a garden variety 120VAC to 10,000 volt transformer and the matching electrodes that is used in a typical burner to ignite the atomized fuel.
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In the normal installation, the transformer sits directly on top of the electrodes with the terminals separated by a distance of about 3“ until ignition. ·The bent shape of the electrodes brings them closer to eachother in the burner chamber, and they spark when they get to about ½” from each other.
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In my design, however, I do not want the transformer to be limited by these physical constraints, and would prefere to have the transformer somewhere else, a few feet away, and run wires to the electrodes where they can “do their thing”
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Question:· How can I carry 10,000 volts (albeit, low amperage) across a couple of wires a few feet long without killing myself or others? jumpin.gif I simply want to run a wire from the transformer to each of the two electrodes.
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Thanks,

Sparky
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Expert in many fields, dumb as a stump with STAMP

Comments

  • steve_bsteve_b Posts: 1,563
    edited 2006-11-22 23:32
    I don't know the solution to your requirement....but take a look at high tension lines....the big ones! They'll typically carry some ghastly amount of voltage and are LARGE!!
    They're large enough that you'd probably NOT want to work with them (as I'm sure they do not bend easily).

    At work, our UPS (building UPS) uses buss bars for interconnecting the batteries. This is mostly because of the current draw as the batteries don't quite equal 340Volts in total.

    Is it the placement of the transformer that's bothersome? or is it the size of it?
    You could put one in place that's half of what your current needs are and then put another one rated the same (half of original) somewhere else.

    I wouldn't want to run 1000's of volts along a path where someone might thing (or not think) of putting their hands/feet....again, I don't have a solution but you might NOT want to fuss with it!

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    ·

    Steve

    "Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."
  • metron9metron9 Posts: 1,100
    edited 2006-11-22 23:54
    I think you will need wires like spark plug wires on a car, I don't know the specs on a spark plug wire or voltage used but that's a good place to start I would think with some research. Also neon lights use high voltage so a search in that area may give some info.

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    Think Inside the box first and if that doesn't work..
    Think outside the BOX!
  • Tony VenturaTony Ventura Posts: 6
    edited 2006-11-23 00:31
    As the previous poster pointed out, you'll need wire similar to spark plug wire, but actually any high voltage wire will do.· Wire for high voltage applications have a beefier insullation with high dielectric strength.· The wires don't have to be physically large in diameter, thats more determined by the amount of current that they have to handle (in reference to the Edison power lines).· In short, what you want to do is possible and can be done safely as long as the connection points are properly enclosed.

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    Tony Ventura

    Professor / Electronics Technology
    Macomb College
    Macomb County, Michigan
    venturat(at)macomb(dot)edu·· (modified against spammers ;~)
  • stevelsstevels Posts: 19
    edited 2006-11-23 03:08
    Does anyone know the voltage of a typical auto spark plug? I suspect I am dealing with higher voltages since I can generate a serious spark between the probes at about 1/2" apart, while a spark plug gap is about a 1 mm or so. Can you have a wire insulator that is a better insulator than air itself?

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    Expert in many fields, dumb as a stump with STAMP
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2006-11-23 03:27
    Try this:

    hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/DeniseLai.shtml
  • TCTC Posts: 1,019
    edited 2006-11-23 04:47
    The highest aftermarket spark plug·coil that I have seen is made by MSD ignition. It puts out a whopping 55,000 volts

    http://www.msdignition.com/coil_blaster_8_8201.htm

    a stock ignition coil can produce 15,000 - 30,000 volts. If you are looking to do it cheep, Do a tune up on your car (Plugs, WIRES, ect.) take the old wires, cut the boots off and go to town. If the stock wires are not cracked or hard they will work up to about 45,000 volts.

    one other idea, goto an neon sign shop and buy some of there high voltage wire that stuff should do the job.

    TC

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    We all make mistakes when we are young………That’s why paste is edible!
  • steve_bsteve_b Posts: 1,563
    edited 2006-11-23 04:49
    Stevels, it might be worth finding out what your current draw is! that'll help you figure out what options will work!

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    ·

    Steve

    "Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."
  • ChrisEChrisE Posts: 19
    edited 2006-11-23 13:42
    How about this...

    http://www.angelfire.com/80s/sixmhz/flyback.html



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