Originally posted by boguslaw
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Gray was really fond of those under water incandescent lamp demonstrations.
When we discuss the frequency of operation we must be careful where we are getting our numbers. The 6KHz number comes from Richard Hackenburgers re-engineered solid state design. This box was rated at 50 watts.
Now I have an interview from one observer from 1973 who claims that he saw one of Gray's Black Boxes operate 1400 watts of connected load running from a 12 AHr battery. I suspect this was an original Marvin Cole "Electrostatic Generator". We have no idea what its output frequency was.
I have questioned the technical significance of these demos as far as not being shocked when people put their hands in the water. If the power source is an isolated battery operating an isolation transformer, then there is no potential differance between the lamp and the ground.
I suspect that the real attraction is that these lamps are alleged to run cool. Now Hackenburger's box used 15 watt lamps, which can be placed in water with no problems. Cole's Black box ran a number of 100 watt lamps. Now those get much hotter and will shatter if dipped in water when hot. However if they are started up in water then there is no problems with breaking.
The lamp socked used was an outdoor construction base that provides a pretty good water seal against the glass. So shorting out the contacts was greatly reduced. If some petrolum jelly were added to the lip of the socket then a water short would be even less of a problem.
I'm sure that this demo had its roots in a very technical presentation, but may have been modified by Gray to impress non-technical observers as time went on.
I haven't explored it, but I think you could do most of this demonstration with DC. I don't see how isolated AC would make much differance.
I'm sure the original demonstration was quite impressive even for technical people. I believe this because this is how Marvin Cole was able to collect the $$$ to build his high output motors before he had a motor to demonstrate.
Mark McKay
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