The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-01-20
THOUSANDS OF VOLTS.
STARTLING EFFECTS OF SOME HIGH
TENSION CURRENTS.

Electricity at Pressure That L. Simply
wonderfui-what May 10 Done with
Current of AZ, 900 Volts Can Hardly De
Imagined Remarkahls Sights.
Several tests have been made with
alternating currents Of electricity at very
high preesures. As only !, 800 volts were
needed TO kill the condemned murderers
in Sing Sing prison, the effect of $4,000
and 5000 volts on animate and imam
innate objects can hardly be imagined.
The difficulty of insulating the enormous
force Is very serious. rs an arc win fash
across four or Eve inches Of space be-
tween tho electrodes, and high tension
currents have not been used much. The
current for the lights and power at the
electro-technical exhibition at Frank
fort-on-the-M Main was transmitted from
Lsufen, where it was generated by
winter power, at pressure Of $4,000
volts. After the close of the exhibition
and insulators ut high pressures, and
they were among the most interesting of
the electrical experiments
The distance between the cities Is
about f08 miles, and the wire, one
eighth Of an inch in diameter, weighed
132, 900 pounds. Tho insulators were
able to preserve the intensity of the cur
rent Each was composed of three sec
tons. The porcelain top was fat, with
a deep groove for the wire. Underneath
was q saucer shaped receptacle, and be-
meath that verc two more, one Of larger
breadth and depth than the other, and
all were filled with oil. The binding
wires ran through the oil, which is q
good nonconductor. At Frankfort a
commutator changed the alternating
current 10 continuous current for light
and power. In the experiments the
pressure was increased to 10000, 1000
and 5000 volts.
Beyond 1900 volts the porcelain in
sulators were puuctured frequently. In
producing an arc between two carbons
at 10000 volts plate of glass was
pierced very quickly. At $4,000 volts
the intensity was 30 great that the light
was not so brilliant as it was nc II, 900
volts. It is believed that $4,000 volts
can be reached with conductors pro
tected from the effects OF weather.
CURRENTS OF 10000 voLrs,
Almost at the Same time the Siemons
Bros. Of London. were experimenting
with high tension currents, having had
at the Naval exhibition IN apparatus
capable Of delivering current at pres
sure Of 5000 volts This description of
private exhibition of the apparatus
with AZ, 900 volts Is from Engineering:
ION table was an electrode some
three inches In length, connected 10 one
terminal Of q transformer. Over il was
mounted large sheet Of glass three mil
limeters thick, and above the glass was
q second electrode terminating in sharp
point, the distance between the cleo
trodes being three centimetere. When
the current was turned on 10 the primary
coil of the transformer there first APP
pesred purple. haze at the upper cleo
trode streaming tr,wa1d the glass. AS
the current increased this haze grew in
fullness aud definition, and began 10
throw out feelers. which darted outward
and as quickly withdrew. As the cleo
tromotive force augmented still further,
these feelers gathered power until they
beat themselves on the glass as if they
would force themselves through il in
their mad desire 10 reach the other eiec-
trode. Tho whole space below the point
ed conductor became alive with them,
and exhibited n mass OF leaping, crack
ling threads Of purple fire, which writhed
and twisted in impotent attempts to