On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 14:46:40 GMT, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
wrote:


"Dave" wrote in message
ups.com...
Ignoramus27736 wrote:
I got a dozen of 9,000V franceformers. I wonder if I can make
some sort of a fun, safe thing with them, possibly halloween
related. Suggestions to make a corpse out of me for Halloween
decorations will not be seriously considered.

Rated how many VA ? What part of France? I can't think of anything.
Make a remote push-button perch for your horde of local English
Sparrows.

'makes a dandy rat/mouse trap with a simple aluminum foil tape grid (to walk
on) and a tilt-switch to apply power to the grid. The critters won't go on
it when it's energized... they can smell the ozone or feel the corona
discharge... whatever.... so it needs to be hot only when they're standing
on the grid.

Did you know a common grey mouse can jump almost three feet high with 10KV
under his toes?
G

France makes oil ignition transformers, and neon transformers which
are electrically quite similar. Given the 9KV rating, it's probably
neon or possibly aircleaner. They're not like auto ignition coils
that produce low-energy sparks. They're more constant-current devices
with high dynamic Z, so once a spark establishes a path it will become
an arc even if the pathlength is significantly extended. e.g.,
Jacob's ladder.

Once an arc starts, as by a mouse, it may not go out even when the
mouse has become char. There's enough power there to create
significant heat. Hence --- fire hazard.

I once made a mosquito zapper from an oil ignition transformer,
hardware cloth grids and an F15T8BLB UV tube. I don't know what got
into it , but it melted clear down. The tube was reduced to a gob of
glass. Fortunately, it was on a pole in the back yard.