A thought about high voltage

The high frequency stuff from a Tesla coil won't shock you. It might cause a contact burn where it hits the skin, if it's a chunky enough coil. If you firmly hold a small metal object, a key maybe, in your hand, you can pull impressive arcs off the tip of that.

Doesn't matter if you're grounded or not.

You *could* google this, you know. You'd find stuff like...

John

I think this falls under the heading of "Don't try this at home." As you said, the trick only works if you remain isolated from ground. This also brings to mind the guys who work on the very high voltage transmission lines from helicopters. The helo (which is not grounded while flying, and probably generates some static electricity from the spinning rotor above) sidles up next to the aerial work site while the technician extends a wand toward the power line to match the potential, producing a pretty eerie looking arc. Once the probe touches the wire, the tech places a clamp on the wire and assumes his place on the work platform. All very safe if done in the proper order, but not for the faint of heart. Those chopper pilots are a special breed too.

Nels

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As you said, the trick only works if you remain isolated from ground. This also brings to mind the guys who work on the very high voltage transmission lines from helicopters. The helo (which is not grounded while flying, and probably generates some static electricity from the spinning rotor above) sidles up next to the aerial work site while the

technician extends a wand toward the power line to match the potential, producing a pretty eerie looking arc. Once the probe touches the wire, the tech places a clamp on the wire and assumes his place on the work platform. All very safe if done in the proper order, but not for the faint of heart. Those chopper pilots are a special breed too.

Nels

And the parameters of what constitutes isolation from ground change as voltage changes. As the voltage rises, the isolation should increase along with it.

And remember, Henry Transtrom was killed doing just this trick. Cheers. Mark.

blood conducts electricity better than flesh, (and major blood vesesl come together near the heart) nerves also conduct to a lesser extent (which is part of why electric shock is unpleasent)

go with the full body suit.

Yup, that's the stuff. While in Houston a few years ago, I spent a day at the space center. One of the Imax movies playing there contained footage of one of these helicopter-borne line techs going about his daily routine. The thought process is pretty interesting. "Let's see now -- I am about to get into this helicopter and fly up next to that

Nels

The biggest difference between Hi-Tension Power lines and Tesla coils is that the Tesla is frequency modulated. Keep in mind the 'skin effect' when you work with higher frequencies, it tends to travel along the surface of your skin (provided you dont loose ground isolation).

As mentioned before, this is not a 'safe' trick and you will want to test it on NON-LIVING things first to determine the safety level. Also keep in mind that if you are unfortunate enough to provide a current path for the 'ionizing electronic radiation', at best you will receive an very nasty burn that can take up to 1/2 year or longer to heal. At worst, you will not have a 2nd chance to make another mistake and will fittingly be put on the Darwin Award website for removing another unwise person from the world. Nanu5871