How to safely use a resistive load.

As with any device that is connected to a high voltage power supply, the first safety requirement is to establish a stable, low impedance, zero potential level. This means that the ground terminal(s), marked E1, of the supply must first be connected to a good earth ground and then the grounded end of the load securely connected to E1.

The second safety requirement is to position the load so that there is adequate clearance between it and any grounded point or surface, including the operator! At Glassman, we have established a purposely-conservative rule of 1 inch of clearance for each 5 kV of output voltage. For example, 100 kV requires 20 inches of clearance.

The third safety requirement is to never touch any part of the load until, first, the supply is turned off and disconnected from the AC line and, second, the output of the supply is physically shorted to ground by an insulated wand to drain off any stored energy.

The fourth safety requirement is to make sure that the lead running from the output of the supply to the high potential end of the load is adequately supported to avoid any clearance problems with a grounded surface. If the lead is shielded, the shield should be connected to ground and stripped back at the high voltage termination by an amount equal to 1 inch for each 5 kV of output voltage.

In addition, the final safety requirement is common to any operation of a high voltage supply. No one should operate a high voltage supply alone. There should always be at least one other technically qualified person in the immediate area.

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