1800J!
The IEC standards define both current and voltage waveforms. The voltage is measured into an open and the current into a short. What I describe in the videos has always been the open circuit voltage waveform. In some cases I will show the waveform with a meter connected. As long as the meter does not break down, it has little effect on the wave shape. This is why I typically monitor the waveform during the test. While I may not see or hear an event, the scope often catch it. The open circuit attack and decay are actually setup by a network that is built into the generator absorbing the energy.
The current waveform I can put out is very weak compared with the standards. My goal is not to repeat what this person has done, or worse. I am just trying to find the level where they fail when tested in the same manor.
The actual energy available is partly based on the size of the storage bank. Both of the high voltage generators I designed have less than 20J available to the load. I did a video using some charged capacitors discharged on a metal plate to show the levels I run at. It's not much.
I'm sure some novices see these videos and some of the high voltages I test to then decide it's fine to hook their meter directly to a MOT. Some point out that the meters did not show any signs of being unsafe. Others see CAT III 600V on the meter and then comment about how they are not designed to handle anything over 600V. Then there are those who think the leads will never handle it so why expect the meters to.
looks like i should have just bought the fluke.
I was thinking, sure go buy a Fluke 289 and connect it to your MOT.
Again, no idea what this person was doing or why they felt the meter would survive.
killed my $250 bm869 trying to measure the voltage of a step-up transformer. still dont know the voltage but i thought it could handle over 1kv without exploding.
looks like i should have just bought the fluke.
Of course I really have no idea what they were doing or why they thought it would survive.
Me neither. Despite no parameters, such spectacular fireworks display would have ruined anything from any brand...
One thing this person did help show is just how little energy I test the meters at. I think when I damaged the BM869s, I lost a transistor was all. No damage to the PCB or the primary protection.
That got me thinking: Joe, when you say 6kV at 2ohms for 100microsseconds you mean that your pulses carry 1800J of energy? In other words, \[E=\frac{6000^2}{2}100\mu\] That's quite a lot of oomph!