I wanna mess around with some LOPTs from CRT monitors, but wanted a reliable chicken stick (ground hook) to discharge caps, etc, first. I bought some 10awg sgl strand wire, a clamp, and a 18" L x 1" dia concrete stake. The hardware store had some 10ft long 1/2"-3/4" dia copper rod, but wouldn't cut it and 10 ft was waaay too expensive.
Is this 18" steel (iron?) concrete stake good enough? Will rebar work? How long, minimum, for good ground stake?
nb
you don't need a ground stake to discharge capacitors.
notbob laid this down on his screen :
If you think the gauge of wire is significant or the size of the stake in this question you are so far behind in knowledge that you should not go near CRT monitors till you have done Electronics 101,102& 103. A little knowledge is VERY dangerous at 25 THOUSAND VOLTS.
BTDT
Yes, I know. It's why I'm asking advice, which you seem woefully lacking. Thanks for nothing.
nb
I would connect the ground wire to the circuit ground, or to the ground terminal in an AC outlet. I wouldn't trust an independent buried ground rod for this application.
You want to be sure that your "chicken stick" will indeed connect the hot side of the capacitors to their ground side, so that the capacitors are discharged
Not good to discharge large capacitors abruptly. Bleed them them off with a resistor connected to clips.
Most resistors aren't rated for 25 KV. They will arc over.
I did give you the advice you need.
I am not going to give you any encouragement and then be held responsible for aiding and abetting your DEATH. :-?
Yes, he is working in HV area but I didn't get the impression that the caps were HV. If so, you are correct.
Tom
I once worked at a govt lab assembling and helping test 600KV Marx generators. We all gotta lotta HV safety training, as any of those
60KV caps we used could kill you dead from a spontaneous proximity air discharge. I was mostly a mech tech, then, but payed attention. Ground hooks were everywhere. In fact, the entire test stand was fenced with multiple redundant safety interlocks, tag-outs, etc. So, I know what NOT to do.What I don't know, and am trying to learn, is how to build up a like super-safe HV experimenting environment. I hafta believe I can do better than the simple ground wire circuits in my home. I know damn well that govt lab test stand wasn't grounded thru the ground plug in a 110V wall socket!
I've noticed some replies mention bleeder circuits, which is good to know, but I'm looking for a circuit and grounding specifics that will provide an instant safe grounding system for any sized cap or whatever I may encounter hacking around with benchtop marx gens, tesla coils, flyback gens, etc. I find all kindsa webpages on HV projects like jacobs ladder, tesla coils, etc, but none of them mention much about safety grounding systems, like it's some sorta inate knowledge everyone is born with. I don't think so!
Yes, I don't know a lot of electical/electronics theory. It is not my primary discipline, but I'm having a lotta fun learning about it, now. What I do have is a lot of practical experience. From the HV I mentioned to setup/tuning of HV RF networks for plasma etching systems to troubleshooting circuits through entire $10M plasma etch/dep fab equipment. I know how to use a DMM and read a schemo and right now I'm assembling my first 4 band SDF radio receiver kit with SMT components. Big fun with itty-bitty components! In the pursuit of furthering my meagar theory knowledge, I now need specifics and information, not criticism telling me what I don't know. Hell, that Grand Canyon will never be filled! Anyway, all advice appreciated. ;)
nb
start with circuit thory, Ohm's law, and Kirchoff's circuit laws.
An earth terminal is not a magic totem that can protect you from danger, once you understand those you'll understand why, you'll also understand why you don't need an elaborate earth connection.
Yeah, those whacky scientists building marx generators for that linear accelerator didn't really need elaborate grounding. Jes plug that
600KV ground hook into the GFCI outlet next to the Mr Coffee.Sorry, but momma notbob never raised such a foolish child.
nb
Isn't Betts THE infamous Jasen? ...Jim Thompson
I'm denigrating no one, any more than anyone is actually denigrating me ...which I thank this group for. ;)
Hey, I admit I know waaaay too much, yet way too little, to be as safe as I'd like to be. So I'm asking for info. So far, I've gotten ppl advising me to learn what I already know. Yet the info on what a ground rod is for, how it may/may-not help me, HV dissipation specifics, circuits, etc, is pretty much non-forthcoming. If you want to argue my skill level, I have no argument. But, if you are not gonna help me learn what I would like to know about HV, as opposed to what you think I should know, please annoy/attack someone else. ;)
nb
you appeared to be demonstrating ignorance of basic circuit theory.
sci.electronics is mostly about low-ish voltages,
You may find what you seek at
heh heh... I demonstrate an ignorance of a lotta things in my old age. I occasionally drool, too. ;) (say the last 2 words fast, over and over ....hey, I think I invented a tongue-twister!)
Yes, as "...tronics" vs "...cal" would indicate. OTOH, you can't have 'tronics' w/o the 'cal'. (please, don't go there)
Thank you for the link.
nb
OK....
If you had a 60KV cap and wanted to make sure it wasn't charged, by using a ground hook, what would that ground hook be hooked to?
nb
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