Video: Watch this demo
Description: A car battery is shorted with a wire, causing the wire to rapidly heat and glow orange.
The car battery is able to supply over 100amps of current for a short time.
Equipment:
- 12VDC car battery
- Battery charger
- SPST switch
- Small 3-4ft wire with cloth covering
- 2 portable stands
- 2 Finger clamps
- 6 Banana plug cables
- 2 Alligator clips
- Wire Cutter
- C clamp
Setup Procedure:
- Charge the Car battery up prior to doing the demo.
- Attach the SPST switch to the edge of the table with the C clamp.
- Place a finger clip on each portable stand.
- Connect the equipment together using the wiring diagram with two wires in parallel for each connection.
- Use the wire cutter to strip the cloth off each end of the wire.
- Connect the alligator clip to the bare wire and fasten it in the finger clip (see picture).
Demonstration Procedure:
- When ready, close the switch and wait for the cable to smoke and glow orange (should take less then 5 seconds).
- Once the wire is engulfed in flames, open the switch.
High Current
This battery can output more then 100A at 12VDC. This is a deadly current supply and should be handled with extreme caution.
Note: Use a very thin wire with a cloth covering (such as wire used for fake plant stems).
If you use the wrong wire, it may just smoke and make a horrible chemical smell!
28-F4
