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Re: Variac Safety



Be aware that there are at least two style of Variacs out there. One is a
complete enclosed unit with a standard AC outlet built into it and a fully
insulated line cord. However there are many styles that have exposed coils and
exposed terminals. And these are usually the ones found in Physics labs because
being exposed one can show the students how they work. These are safety hazards
in the hands of high school students.

It should be standard practice to have students remove watches, rings, necklaces,
bracelets when working on a experiment with exposed voltages. Granted, at the
computerized sensor voltage and current levels there is little danger (a short
would blow the power supply first in most cases,) but with power supplies even 6
volts across a piece of jewelry can cause harm. I know, I have a nice circular
scar around my ring finger caused by my ring getting caught across a 6 VDC power
supply.

Ray Rogoway
San Jose (where we shock the students intellectually only)

--
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep
And I have no more papers in a heap
And in the morning I can sleep
Or walk those woods, so dark and deep.
r.frosted