Nice box, not good enough. I am a military trained electrician, (21 years, retired), and spent 30 years in factories, as a electrical maintenance manager and an industrial engineer. I got into this hobby about five years ago, and had a similar setup, save I elevated my platform off the bench with two glued on 2X4's. After time, you get a bit lazy...then maybe cut a few corners. We all say we won't, BUT WE ALL DO. I recently got into fractal burning guitars, and one late afternoon, a bit tired, didn't realize it was still on and touched one probe. The other one literally jumped into my other hand, as the hand was touching the edge of the guitar body. I "Rode the Lightning" for about two seconds until I fell on my right side, heavily bruising my shoulder and hitting my head on the floor. When I hit, I woke up, got up and went into the house and had my wife call 911. Heartrate was 160, and I ended up in a burn center for three days as they monitored my heart, and treated the burns on my hands, which were not that bad. Huge hematoma on my forehead, and a scalp cut on my head where I scraped on a bench nearby. NOT FUN, NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES.... Changes I will make: 1. Add two momentary on switches to the incoming 120VAC in a plastic housing. Both have to be pressed to engage the unit. No 120VAC, no burn. Two switches, two hands. 2. My potentiometer, which I use to adjust the voltage, will be next, in a straight line away from me. Adjust before I can press both buttons, which are UL approved to be Open when released. 3. The actual unit on its platform, further away down the line. 4. The probes, with 10K insulated wire, extending to a separate wooden table. 5. Finally, 12K gloves, 1.8MM thick, in case the switches, and the potentiometer all fail and it stays lit. 6. I am standing on 3/4" insulated rubber flooring, the final table will not be on the same rubber. Sound like a lot? 6000VAC is a lot! I am lucky to be writing this, but this is what I should have done in the first place. Lichtenberg is like nothing else in beauty, and it is highly, highly dangerous. I see people using regular wire, no gloves, machine very near to the work, and I think, there is number 34, waiting to die.... Stay safe.
You were tremendously lucky. This high 2000+ volts voltage and high current is electric chair territory. This video completely fails in providing a safe method and some will get killed if copying it. A needle prick through insulation can cause the voltage to jump to a hand or wet probes conducting are all you need to become part of this death statistics. And some explorative kid in the family checking what is in dad’s garage might be a next victim.
First off thanks for your service. Also thanks for the step by step safety systems. I'll use them when I build my machine. I've pressed my luck too many times in 57 years so it's all about safety now days.
Hey man... I thought for sure you would have mentioned the common ground between input and output, they shouldn't be shared - contact with EITHER lead is near assured death vs. contact with BOTH leads. Watching this video however, I think on this particular transformer it's grounded internally to the case - bad bad bad. The output side should NOT be grounded, sharing a common ground from input to ouput means either contact with either lead (and you standing on the earth) means you've made a complete circuit. Output side NOT grounded means you must be in contact or conducted with both leads before electrocution.
Saying you’re military trained doesn’t say much. It’s like saying this is mental and is this military grade metal. Just giving you crap. I’d you do make you’re next machine could you record it?
It is extremely dangerous with no room for error. Do it at your own risk. Before you do it ask yourself do I fully understand everything involved with this and do I accept the risks up to and including death. This project has killed trained electricians. After all of that If you decide to go ahead and do it you *MUST* always treat it like it's live and dangerous even if you swear it's unplugged. *DO* your own research until you fully understand every aspect of the project and safety measures to take. (be aware there is no way to fully eliminate the risks of death) Remember all it takes is the smallest mistakes to get a one way ticket to the afterlife.
I believe copper spark plug wire would be better for your leads. Coils can put out 45,000 volts or so and it's the "pressure" (voltage) that could come through the insulation that you want to stop.
Exactly this not 600v rated #8awg. Or when you tear apart that old big screen TV for the flyback use the 10kv rated wires attached plus that poly tube wrapped in mastic. Don't forget the magnifying lenses and the big plastic fresnel screen while you're tearing tv apart
Could you use a dimmer switch to control the level of voltage to the unit? Plus another switch to ensure the unit is completely shut down as well? A 2 switch safety option?
Definitely not a dimmer switch. The last thing you want to do, apart from build something like this in the first place, is to have any part of your body touching anything on the high voltage side of the transformer when it is energised. The includes switches, or holding the electrodes. There is no “safe” way to use this, but having an isolation switch, and a dead man’s switch, something like a pedal would be the bare minimum.
600 volts 55 amps that is if it is THHN building wire. If it is automotive 8 gauge wire it is good for 60 volts or less and 40 to 50 amps at 12 volts. Certainly not good for 6000 volts!
i brought a american made fractual burning machine 4 years ago,i live in new zealand and it lasted 2 years before crapping out,it had a lot of use,if there was 1 thing i wasnt really that impressed with was that it wasnt very powerfull compared to others ive seen online,but in saying that i lost count of how many pieces i did with it so im not moaning at all,i dont have the $1200 nz to get a replacment so am about to make (with a sparky,electrition to make sure its done right)and im hoping it will be a bit gruntier/or basicaly quicker,my question is ,will a bigger microwave which i guess will have a more powerful inverter make the difference,regards chris malins nz
I just want to thank you. I give you return favor of knowledge. You can also do this with antlers and bones im starting a european mount buisness. Thanks again.
Are you using proper high voltage cable? Normal household power cable no matter how thick is not designed for high tension voltage and current being used in this application. An understanding of working with a device as potentially lethal as what you are making. That microwave transformer puts out around 20k volts at at least 25 Amps, and it is this very high current at this voltage which makes it potentially a lethal device. A neon sign transformer puts out around 20k at 30mA, a vastly safer device compared to a hacked microwave transformer.
Secondary winding putting out 20kV at 25A? The primary winding, at 120V would have to draw over 4,166A! Secondary is proportional in voltage and inversely proportional in current. A 1000W microwave will draw about 8.3A at 120V and put out, say 2,800V at 0.36A. It only takes 100 to 200 milliamperes or 0.1 to 0.2A to stop the human heart, so still ridiculously dangerous, but 20kV at 25A is going to be the size of a pole transformer.
Despite the completely understandable error, the point you are making is very valid.....insulation integrity under the entire range of use conditions is a primary considerations.
Great video. We'll thought out assembly! Most fractal videos don't really show you 'how' to wire it which is one of the top things (of all the top things to stop the thing from killing you!)
Just one safety tip for those who are interested. Go check out Big Clive's video on this subject and learn why neon light transformers are magnitudes safer than microwave transformers and produce the same effect. *Just repeating this from memory. The video must be a couple years old by now.
@@tonyz6421 which is actually a good thing because you got a better pattern instead of just a big scorch mark. You can leave the power on for longer if you want the big scorch mark though.
Not a fan of the thumbnail. Literally says it's dangerous and that it's killed people, then posts the video with a clip of himself holding the device and electricity coming from it. Easy way to kill yourself if you actually do that. If you want to do this, do yourself a favor, buy the machine instead of building it yourself. You can buy a Lichtenberg machine for a few hundred dollars, I'd imagine it's well worth avoiding the amount of work needed to build it yourself. Plus you aren't dealing with the same high voltage in a microwave transformer, have better built in safety on the device, and don't have to worry about the microwave capacitor when you take a microwave apart.
''This is a very dangerous project'' so i am just going to go ahead and tell people with no electrical knowledge and an unknown level of personal stupidity or accident prone-ness how to set up something which may well kill them.
People have to protect themselves be able to make there own decisions. We would evolve so slowly if babied everyone like you want to. Freedom has a cost and it worth it
he made a death trap. wrong on so many levels. do yourself a favor, don't pick up this art. I got out after getting careless. My safety switches saved me. I built 3 switches including lights to know it was armed. His wire is wrong to start, wrong insulation. Don't use regular house wire. If you have to use silicone rated wire. Sort of like car spark plug wire.. And the "chicken sticks" we called them suicidal. I'm not a careless man, I enjoy risk with the best of them. But after doing this for a year, it wasn't worth the risk. I am not bashing you , but encouraging this type of art can come at a high price. Do thorough homework. Hours watching youtube before you decide to do it or not. message me with any questions. Again, this stuff is serious. Josh, Jason, please take this down.
I looked on Amazon and couldn't find the microwave transformer. It said couldn't find this page. Could you give me the info on the transformer, such as: name, model #, ser #, amps, etc. Thanks, Rich
I promise you, the cool effect you'll get from fractal burning isn't going to be as cool as the gravestone you may end up in. If you're stumbling on this video, even if you get everything right, you need to acknowledge that you're inherently putting yourself in extreme danger for the sake of some pretty lightning decal. Do what you want, it's your life. But heed this warning. Know how electricity works or face the consequences!!
This video should have been titled, how to cut holes in a toolbox and how I much money I spent on this project…stop telling people what you plan to do in the future if you’re not doing it in the video…video would have been 4 Mins.
EDITED: On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the most dangerous lichtenberg rig I've seen on RUclips, 10 being the best, this video gets a 9. Perhaps 9.5. But the entire RUclips selection is very far below any sort of reasonable standard. I'll give only two reasons, but there are dozens. Let me say though, you do have some good ideas in your design. Now to comment on some issues.... First, even with some perfect lictenberg hardware, with safety features you never, ever see on youtube, there are "proper use" considerations. Great hardware is easy to use very dangerously. So, this would be an easy rig to kill yourself with. Second, and typical of many connection/ratings types of problems, the 8AWG wire from Amazon does not have a DWV (Dielectric Withstanding Voltage) rating. It has a UL flame rating, but no ratings regarding breakdown of the insulation. The reason this jumped out is that in the video josh/jason grabbed the polypropylene tube way back where the 8AWG wire entered it, so if you touch the 8AWG wire, that insulation resistance is the only thing between you and your maker. Along those lines, 8AWG? This is far too stiff and heavy. At the approximate maximum power, which is approximately 15Amps*110Volts = 1650 watts, the current in the secondary circuit is then 1650 Watts / 2000Volts = 0.825 Amps. The So less than an amp. The secondary could use 30AWG! But there are many other considerations, mainly insulation characteristics and reliability. You would have to look up all the specs, but I'd lean toward a wire such as is used for an old television CRT high voltage supply. Better still, Alpha, Belden and a couple others make reliable, agency rated wire. Go here: www.alphawire.com/Products/Wire Assuming you are at 2000 VRMS, you want at least an insulation rating of 5000 V. 20-22AWG would be a good compromise between stiffness and ease with which to make reliable connections. So the third thing (I lied) someone mentions below, the grounded transformer frame. Sharing a common ground with the primary circuit is hell-bad. Double hell-bad. It provides hundreds, perhaps thousands of additional ways the main secondary lead output current can find it's way back to the other secondary lead through someones body. But as I replied, "floating" that lead safely and reliably presents it's own challenges. This is not a place for Amazon materials or connections made by the un-certified. It's just a whole lot more work to attempt something like this than you initially think. A ton of learning. No place for Dunning-Krueger, or for the type of expertise that gives hormones to young kids. Sadly, too many seem to be in a big hurry to get out RUclips videos on the topic, and the public be damned.
Parts list: 8 gauge wire 60 D nails 5” Toolbox Fan Transformer Power cord Soldering Iron Okay… seems manageable. I may add a switch as well for on and off. Maybe a variable intensity dial would be nice as well.
@@terrybrady1165 A power strip would not shut it off it it arcs. The only way the power strip would trip is if the incoming AC 120 volt power shorts out. Thats what people dont understand, there is no physical wire or connection between the primary winding and the secondary winding. The voltage is induced through a magnetic field between the primary winding and secondary winding of the transformer. AC 120 volts in to the transformer and that voltage is magnetically or induced into the secondary winding which produces and output voltage of 2000 volts, depending on the transformer. Think of it this way. I don't know what the winding ratio is of the transformer is but lets just say it was a 10 to 1 ratio. If the primary winding had 10 wraps of wire on it and the secondary winding had 100 wraps of wire on it and you put 10 volts on the primary then the secondary transformer would have 1000 volts coming out of it. There is no protection on the secondary side of the transformer or the leads that you would be handling. If there were a fuse or a breaker on the secondary side it would trip every time the electrodes were placed on the wood you are working on. You are actually short circuiting the secondary side of the transformer everytime you touch the electrodes to the wood. That is why this is a very unsafe project. The insulation on the wire he is using is only rated for 600 volts. Anytime you go over 600 volts it degrades the insulation on the wire. So at some point the insulation can fail and the voltage can come through the wire and electrocute you.The only way this could be semi safe is if there were multiple safety switches. Like if there were a foot switch you have to stand on before the 120 volts would energize the transformer to make the electrodes work, along with maybe push buttons on the electrode handles. Most definitely the wires for the electrodes should be HIGH VOLTAGE Rated wires not 600 volts!
It is extremely dangerous project with no room for error. Do it at your own risk. Before you do it ask yourself do I fully understand everything involved with this and do I accept the risks up to and including death. This project has killed trained electricians. After all of that If you decide to go ahead and do it you *MUST* always treat it like it's live and dangerous even if you swear it's unplugged. *DO* your own research until you fully understand every aspect of the project and safety measures to take. (be aware there is no way to fully eliminate the risks of death) Remember all it takes is the smallest mistakes to get a one way ticket to the afterlife.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Nice box, not good enough. I am a military trained electrician, (21 years, retired), and spent 30 years in factories, as a electrical maintenance manager and an industrial engineer.
I got into this hobby about five years ago, and had a similar setup, save I elevated my platform off the bench with two glued on 2X4's. After time, you get a bit lazy...then maybe cut a few corners. We all say we won't, BUT WE ALL DO. I recently got into fractal burning guitars, and one late afternoon, a bit tired, didn't realize it was still on and touched one probe. The other one literally jumped into my other hand, as the hand was touching the edge of the guitar body. I "Rode the Lightning" for about two seconds until I fell on my right side, heavily bruising my shoulder and hitting my head on the floor. When I hit, I woke up, got up and went into the house and had my wife call 911. Heartrate was 160, and I ended up in a burn center for three days as they monitored my heart, and treated the burns on my hands, which were not that bad. Huge hematoma on my forehead, and a scalp cut on my head where I scraped on a bench nearby. NOT FUN, NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES....
Changes I will make:
1. Add two momentary on switches to the incoming 120VAC in a plastic housing. Both have to be pressed to engage the unit. No 120VAC, no burn. Two switches, two hands.
2. My potentiometer, which I use to adjust the voltage, will be next, in a straight line away from me. Adjust before I can press both buttons, which are UL approved to be Open when released.
3. The actual unit on its platform, further away down the line.
4. The probes, with 10K insulated wire, extending to a separate wooden table.
5. Finally, 12K gloves, 1.8MM thick, in case the switches, and the potentiometer all fail and it stays lit.
6. I am standing on 3/4" insulated rubber flooring, the final table will not be on the same rubber.
Sound like a lot? 6000VAC is a lot! I am lucky to be writing this, but this is what I should have done in the first place.
Lichtenberg is like nothing else in beauty, and it is highly, highly dangerous. I see people using regular wire, no gloves, machine very near to the work, and I think, there is number 34, waiting to die....
Stay safe.
You were tremendously lucky. This high 2000+ volts voltage and high current is electric chair territory. This video completely fails in providing a safe method and some will get killed if copying it. A needle prick through insulation can cause the voltage to jump to a hand or wet probes conducting are all you need to become part of this death statistics. And some explorative kid in the family checking what is in dad’s garage might be a next victim.
First off thanks for your service.
Also thanks for the step by step safety systems. I'll use them when I build my machine. I've pressed my luck too many times in 57 years so it's all about safety now days.
Were you using a microwave oven transformer?
Hey man... I thought for sure you would have mentioned the common ground between input and output, they shouldn't be shared - contact with EITHER lead is near assured death vs. contact with BOTH leads. Watching this video however, I think on this particular transformer it's grounded internally to the case - bad bad bad. The output side should NOT be grounded, sharing a common ground from input to ouput means either contact with either lead (and you standing on the earth) means you've made a complete circuit. Output side NOT grounded means you must be in contact or conducted with both leads before electrocution.
Saying you’re military trained doesn’t say much. It’s like saying this is mental and is this military grade metal.
Just giving you crap.
I’d you do make you’re next machine could you record it?
Very good set up. I'll be trying it!!
It is extremely dangerous with no room for error. Do it at your own risk. Before you do it ask yourself do I fully understand everything involved with this and do I accept the risks up to and including death. This project has killed trained electricians.
After all of that If you decide to go ahead and do it you *MUST* always treat it like it's live and dangerous even if you swear it's unplugged. *DO* your own research until you fully understand every aspect of the project and safety measures to take. (be aware there is no way to fully eliminate the risks of death) Remember all it takes is the smallest mistakes to get a one way ticket to the afterlife.
would an arc welding unit work?
quick question, for the leads, cant you jjust use jumper cable ends to clamp on the wood that way its not being touched while operating?
no, not rated insulation.
Well, thanks Jason, nice technical art project you have here. Keep up the good work.
I believe copper spark plug wire would be better for your leads. Coils can put out 45,000 volts or so and it's the "pressure" (voltage) that could come through the insulation that you want to stop.
Exactly this not 600v rated #8awg.
Or when you tear apart that old big screen TV for the flyback use the 10kv rated wires attached plus that poly tube wrapped in mastic. Don't forget the magnifying lenses and the big plastic fresnel screen while you're tearing tv apart
Pretty cool DIY. I definitely like the burn pattern it created, that would make a nice picture on the wall.
8 gauge leads for the probes correct? The probe wire looks so much fatter than 8 ..😊
Could you use a dimmer switch to control the level of voltage to the unit? Plus another switch to ensure the unit is completely shut down as well? A 2 switch safety option?
Definitely not a dimmer switch. The last thing you want to do, apart from build something like this in the first place, is to have any part of your body touching anything on the high voltage side of the transformer when it is energised. The includes switches, or holding the electrodes. There is no “safe” way to use this, but having an isolation switch, and a dead man’s switch, something like a pedal would be the bare minimum.
Thank you sir
I can’t find 60D nails. Why 60? Can I use 40D? 16D?
Hi, how many volts can the 8 gauge wire withstand?
600 volts 55 amps that is if it is THHN building wire. If it is automotive 8 gauge wire it is good for 60 volts or less and 40 to 50 amps at 12 volts. Certainly not good for 6000 volts!
Stupid question. It is the insulation, not the whatever gauge copper, which withstands the voltage.
I think a wood cabinet is needed where you put your project in and close it then remotely activate the tool
i brought a american made fractual burning machine 4 years ago,i live in new zealand and it lasted 2 years before crapping out,it had a lot of use,if there was 1 thing i wasnt really that impressed with was that it wasnt very powerfull compared to others ive seen online,but in saying that i lost count of how many pieces i did with it so im not moaning at all,i dont have the $1200 nz to get a replacment so am about to make (with a sparky,electrition to make sure its done right)and im hoping it will be a bit gruntier/or basicaly quicker,my question is ,will a bigger microwave which i guess will have a more powerful inverter make the difference,regards chris malins nz
I just want to thank you. I give you return favor of knowledge. You can also do this with antlers and bones im starting a european mount buisness. Thanks again.
Why 8 gauge wire, as opposed to neon sign wire? It’s high voltage, not high current.
...you are absolutely right.
MOTs can put out half a amp. Neon wire is usually rated for around 30mA not 500mA
because he doesn't understand so he just went with "bigger must be better". Genius way to get his intellectual prowess into the Darwin hall of fame
@@fanplant 🤣🤣🤣 Darwin hall of fame. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Are you using proper high voltage cable? Normal household power cable no matter how thick is not designed for high tension voltage and current being used in this application. An understanding of working with a device as potentially lethal as what you are making. That microwave transformer puts out around 20k volts at at least 25 Amps, and it is this very high current at this voltage which makes it potentially a lethal device. A neon sign transformer puts out around 20k at 30mA, a vastly safer device compared to a hacked microwave transformer.
Secondary winding putting out 20kV at 25A? The primary winding, at 120V would have to draw over 4,166A! Secondary is proportional in voltage and inversely proportional in current. A 1000W microwave will draw about 8.3A at 120V and put out, say 2,800V at 0.36A. It only takes 100 to 200 milliamperes or 0.1 to 0.2A to stop the human heart, so still ridiculously dangerous, but 20kV at 25A is going to be the size of a pole transformer.
My typo error, it should have been approx. 2.5-5.0A at 240 Volts for 1000 Watt microwave.
Despite the completely understandable error, the point you are making is very valid.....insulation integrity under the entire range of use conditions is a primary considerations.
8gauge wire; will jumper cables work?
Will you be dead in a week?
Great video. We'll thought out assembly! Most fractal videos don't really show you 'how' to wire it which is one of the top things (of all the top things to stop the thing from killing you!)
Just one safety tip for those who are interested. Go check out Big Clive's video on this subject and learn why neon light transformers are magnitudes safer than microwave transformers and produce the same effect.
*Just repeating this from memory. The video must be a couple years old by now.
Neons don't burn as hot.
@@tonyz6421 which is actually a good thing because you got a better pattern instead of just a big scorch mark. You can leave the power on for longer if you want the big scorch mark though.
someone said that u cannot use 8 AWG wire bought at Home Depot or Lowes, Is this true?
8 AWG???? Nobody has done any of the very simple calculations which show the current is less than 1 amp. PERIOD! 8 AWG is ridiculous. Armatures.
I would recommend some garage shelving. That is bizarre
Add a foot pedal from Harbor Freight
Anyone planning to do this should really look up The Fishin Dad’s video. His method is the safest I’ve ever seen.
Not a fan of the thumbnail. Literally says it's dangerous and that it's killed people, then posts the video with a clip of himself holding the device and electricity coming from it. Easy way to kill yourself if you actually do that.
If you want to do this, do yourself a favor, buy the machine instead of building it yourself. You can buy a Lichtenberg machine for a few hundred dollars, I'd imagine it's well worth avoiding the amount of work needed to build it yourself. Plus you aren't dealing with the same high voltage in a microwave transformer, have better built in safety on the device, and don't have to worry about the microwave capacitor when you take a microwave apart.
I made my burner about a year ago and mine is in a box to
''This is a very dangerous project'' so i am just going to go ahead and tell people with no electrical knowledge and an unknown level of personal stupidity or accident prone-ness how to set up something which may well kill them.
People have to protect themselves be able to make there own decisions. We would evolve so slowly if babied everyone like you want to. Freedom has a cost and it worth it
@@NoName-nx6dlexactly. Remove the warning labels. Let the problem sort itself out.
Outstanding
It took me a long time to even try it cause I hate electricity
Not sure why a stick welder wouldnt do the same thing...
Just spend the extra money and get a neon sign transformer.
you guys need a logo
i'd have a line getting smashed by a hammer black and white simple clean
It’s safe if you boof it
he made a death trap. wrong on so many levels. do yourself a favor, don't pick up this art. I got out after getting careless. My safety switches saved me. I built 3 switches including lights to know it was armed. His wire is wrong to start, wrong insulation. Don't use regular house wire. If you have to use silicone rated wire. Sort of like car spark plug wire.. And the "chicken sticks" we called them suicidal. I'm not a careless man, I enjoy risk with the best of them. But after doing this for a year, it wasn't worth the risk. I am not bashing you , but encouraging this type of art can come at a high price. Do thorough homework. Hours watching youtube before you decide to do it or not. message me with any questions. Again, this stuff is serious. Josh, Jason, please take this down.
I looked on Amazon and couldn't find the microwave transformer. It said couldn't find this page. Could you give me the info on the transformer, such as: name, model #, ser #, amps, etc. Thanks, Rich
I promise you, the cool effect you'll get from fractal burning isn't going to be as cool as the gravestone you may end up in.
If you're stumbling on this video, even if you get everything right, you need to acknowledge that you're inherently putting yourself in extreme danger for the sake of some pretty lightning decal.
Do what you want, it's your life.
But heed this warning. Know how electricity works or face the consequences!!
This video should have been titled, how to cut holes in a toolbox and how I much money I spent on this project…stop telling people what you plan to do in the future if you’re not doing it in the video…video would have been 4 Mins.
Hai
😘
EDITED: On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the most dangerous lichtenberg rig I've seen on RUclips, 10 being the best, this video gets a 9. Perhaps 9.5. But the entire RUclips selection is very far below any sort of reasonable standard. I'll give only two reasons, but there are dozens.
Let me say though, you do have some good ideas in your design.
Now to comment on some issues....
First, even with some perfect lictenberg hardware, with safety features you never, ever see on youtube, there are "proper use" considerations. Great hardware is easy to use very dangerously. So, this would be an easy rig to kill yourself with.
Second, and typical of many connection/ratings types of problems, the 8AWG wire from Amazon does not have a DWV (Dielectric Withstanding Voltage) rating. It has a UL flame rating, but no ratings regarding breakdown of the insulation. The reason this jumped out is that in the video josh/jason grabbed the polypropylene tube way back where the 8AWG wire entered it, so if you touch the 8AWG wire, that insulation resistance is the only thing between you and your maker.
Along those lines, 8AWG? This is far too stiff and heavy. At the approximate maximum power, which is approximately 15Amps*110Volts = 1650 watts, the current in the secondary circuit is then 1650 Watts / 2000Volts = 0.825 Amps. The So less than an amp. The secondary could use 30AWG! But there are many other considerations, mainly insulation characteristics and reliability. You would have to look up all the specs, but I'd lean toward a wire such as is used for an old television CRT high voltage supply. Better still, Alpha, Belden and a couple others make reliable, agency rated wire. Go here: www.alphawire.com/Products/Wire Assuming you are at 2000 VRMS, you want at least an insulation rating of 5000 V. 20-22AWG would be a good compromise between stiffness and ease with which to make reliable connections.
So the third thing (I lied) someone mentions below, the grounded transformer frame. Sharing a common ground with the primary circuit is hell-bad. Double hell-bad. It provides hundreds, perhaps thousands of additional ways the main secondary lead output current can find it's way back to the other secondary lead through someones body. But as I replied, "floating" that lead safely and reliably presents it's own challenges. This is not a place for Amazon materials or connections made by the un-certified.
It's just a whole lot more work to attempt something like this than you initially think. A ton of learning. No place for Dunning-Krueger, or for the type of expertise that gives hormones to young kids. Sadly, too many seem to be in a big hurry to get out RUclips videos on the topic, and the public be damned.
Parts list:
8 gauge wire
60 D nails 5”
Toolbox
Fan
Transformer
Power cord
Soldering Iron
Okay… seems manageable.
I may add a switch as well for on and off. Maybe a variable intensity dial would be nice as well.
Why 8 gauge wire?
I would use a power strip so it can shut off or break when it arcs
@@terrybrady1165 A power strip would not shut it off it it arcs. The only way the power strip would trip is if the incoming AC 120 volt power shorts out. Thats what people dont understand, there is no physical wire or connection between the primary winding and the secondary winding. The voltage is induced through a magnetic field between the primary winding and secondary winding of the transformer. AC 120 volts in to the transformer and that voltage is magnetically or induced into the secondary winding which produces and output voltage of 2000 volts, depending on the transformer. Think of it this way. I don't know what the winding ratio is of the transformer is but lets just say it was a 10 to 1 ratio. If the primary winding had 10 wraps of wire on it and the secondary winding had 100 wraps of wire on it and you put 10 volts on the primary then the secondary transformer would have 1000 volts coming out of it. There is no protection on the secondary side of the transformer or the leads that you would be handling. If there were a fuse or a breaker on the secondary side it would trip every time the electrodes were placed on the wood you are working on. You are actually short circuiting the secondary side of the transformer everytime you touch the electrodes to the wood. That is why this is a very unsafe project. The insulation on the wire he is using is only rated for 600 volts. Anytime you go over 600 volts it degrades the insulation on the wire. So at some point the insulation can fail and the voltage can come through the wire and electrocute you.The only way this could be semi safe is if there were multiple safety switches. Like if there were a foot switch you have to stand on before the 120 volts would energize the transformer to make the electrodes work, along with maybe push buttons on the electrode handles. Most definitely the wires for the electrodes should be HIGH VOLTAGE Rated wires not 600 volts!
This is so stupid... no safety basically...
Just use a damn flyback or 2 in series with a choke and you won't have to die during it. O_x
It is extremely dangerous project with no room for error. Do it at your own risk. Before you do it ask yourself do I fully understand everything involved with this and do I accept the risks up to and including death. This project has killed trained electricians.
After all of that If you decide to go ahead and do it you *MUST* always treat it like it's live and dangerous even if you swear it's unplugged. *DO* your own research until you fully understand every aspect of the project and safety measures to take. (be aware there is no way to fully eliminate the risks of death) Remember all it takes is the smallest mistakes to get a one way ticket to the afterlife.
Too dangerous for most people
First
Thanks for watching! - J
All my meth head friends are doing it...
How to die! Stupid -Stupid stuff here. Crazy dangerous! Too many people have died doing this!
We all know
BlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBlaBla..... We see nothing
YOU SHOULD HAVE CONNECTED THE GROUND WIRE TO THE WHITE WIRE ON THE CHASSIS ALSO.... WITHOUT IT YOU GOT A DEATH TRAP !!!!!
U TALKING WAY TO MUCH INSTEAD DO some work