There are a couple of possible electrical paths here that may have caused you to experience a shock.
1. Resistance - Glass is a fine insulator, however, there is no perfect insulator. Higher voltages require more insulation. Though the leakage at any one point on the jar may be small, adding the foil to the side, in effect, creates a number of parallel resistive paths and thus the possibility for more current flow. 2. Capacitance - Since the supply voltage is AC, capacitance plays a role in apparent current flow through an insulator. In applying the foil to the side of the jar, you create a capacitor; the foil being one plate, the glass being the dielectric, and the conductive liquid in the jar being the other plate. Because the polarity of the power source is changing at a 60 cycle rate, the electrical potential on the aluminum foil tries to change at that rate. Thus it is always trying to take on or give up electrons. If given a path, these electrons will flow. If that path is through your body, and the electron flow is sufficient, you will sense an electrical shock. The amount of the current available from the source will determine the severity of that shock. I have found, with high voltage, you can't be too careful! God Bless, Jeff K1LE CT > I took the shiny > (unoxidized) side of aluminum foil and wrapped it around the glass vessel, > careful to keep it out of contact with the electrodes. In spite of these > precautions I experienced a definite electrical shock while in contact with > the foil wrapped around the glass. The foil was not in contact with > anything other than glass. (I was hoping to see a reflection of the laser > illuminate the silver in solution). > > I am using a 15kv HVAC CS unit > -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: silver-list-requ...@eskimo.com -or- silver-digest-requ...@eskimo.com with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@id.net>
