Article by Jeremy Smith

Anyone who has ever worked with electricity is aware that the insulation that separates particular wiring is very important to prevent arcing. It can be dangerous to people in the area, as well as to the machinery or homes where the wiring is attached. In the manufacturing industry, the high voltages of electricity needed to run machinery can be deadly to workers if the insulation protecting the wiring is not inspected or tested regularly. It could allow gaps and breakage that can maim or even kill a person. To see just a portion of what electricity can do and some simple ways to create it, there are some very basic experiments that can be done with insulation testers. One must be careful to follow directions carefully, though. Getting a dose of electricity can be dangerous for some people, especially if they have a heart pacemaker or the electrical charge is of a high voltage. An adult should always be present and protective safety gear should be worn at all times.

The first thing to remember is not to let the two metals in the experiment touch together. This puts the exclamation point on the need for insulation between different wires used to conduct electricity. Here are some basics. Collect some 18-gauge copper wire, some wire cutters, a few large paperclips, a small flashlight bulb, some lemons and an electrical multi-tester also. This will give a reading of the voltage of electricity, or at least the fact that electricity is being created in this experiment.

The next step is to roll a lemon forcefully between the hands to release the juice in the fruit. Straighten a paper clip and insert it about an inch deep into the lemon. Fresh lemons are best, since the juice is more acidic.

Next, insert the copper wiring into the lemon in the same manner, but separate from the paper clip. Remember, if the metals touch, they can arc or short each other out. Use a multi-tester to see if there is a reading on it. If it is not, the experimenter can repeat the above steps, attaching paperclip to paperclip and copper to copper with several lemons. Next, touch the wires to the base of the light bulb, making sure the wires do not touch each other.

The acid in the lemons in combination with the metals creates both positive ions, in the paper clips, and negative ions, in the copper, that create the electricity needed to light the bulb. This is the same principle used to create higher voltage electricity used in automobile batteries and even the batteries used in common flashlights. Keeping the wires or cells of positive and negative energy separated is important in protecting oneself and others from harm, while taking advantage of the many uses for electricity. Having done this experiment shows that there is more than one way to create electricity, as well as a tip in being safe about its use.

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