Are my flyback projects dangerous? (x-ray)

Hello,

I was wondering if any dangerous x-rays or other caustic things like ozone are created when I'm testing my flyback transformers.
How much ozone and how much x-rays is dangerous to humans?

could long-term use of flybacks create radiation poisoning?

I'm actually a little worried :/

Comments

[Electorials]

Thanks for explaining that!

[iceng]

About Ozone,  O₃ has a half life of about 30 min.
OSHA does not get involved until you get 100 Lbs of it.
In your body it acts like CO Carbon Monoxide.  That means it grabs a
blood cell and wont let go of it,  decreasing your breathing efficiency for
a half hour.   A hundred pounds of it would end your breathing altogether.

Ozone is activated oxygen.  I make ozone machines to get the smell
of recent fire ( including cigarette smell ) out of bedrooms and
restaurant fish odors. The O₃ basically finishes the burning process
non-exothermic and that  is why we no longer can smell dinosaurs
flatulent :-)

A

[Electorials]

so about how many pounds would I be able to get by breathing 0.5m away from an operating flyback for about, let's say 10 minutes ?

[The Ideanator]

Oh cool! I didn't know that, I might have to get my MOT kit out more often and play with sparks, especially after I set stuff on fire.

[iceng]

The gas disperses fairly rapidly and with the short half life you are safe.
You would be breathing fractions of a gram the nose is very sensitive to ozone.
Nobody has died from lightning caused ozone yet.
The gas is used to replace chlorination of water in Hotubs and large factories.

Hospitals used the clear UV fluorescent tubes ( another generator of ozone )
mounted above eye level to disinfect air-born germs years ago.

There are people with the disease of asthma that react badly to the
tiniest odor of Ozone. You can use them as detectors :-)

[lemonie]

I used an ozone-generator for chemical-synthesis a few times, very distinctive smell. Electric-discharge in an oxygen-stream.

L

[Kiteman]

Not enough of anything to worry about.

[Electorials]

Really sure?
I do smell the ozone (or at least, I think that's the odd smell)
it's the same smell as when you hold your hand on a 'plasma ball' for a while.

[Kiteman]

Ever smelled a photocopier or laser printer?

[Electorials]

No, I haven't :/
I only know the smell from high voltage (plasma ball, flyback,)..

it mostly appears when I get corona discharges to jump to insulation material, plastics.

[frollard]

that's the same smell...ozone, that electric, clean smell...

[Electorials]

Ok, but the amounts are not too high?

[frollard]

You'd have to have a LOT to hurt yourself. Just open a window from time to time and you're sure to be okay.

[Electorials]

Ok, thanks!

[Alex1M6]

Have a read of this http://www.pupman.com/safety.htm

But if your arcs are not very bright such as those produced by 555 and 2n3055 drivers then I don't think there will be much of a risk.

Bright high current arcs and HV capacitor sparks on the other hand might be a potential health risk from the UV light produced.

However I think I should also note that low current blue/purple arcs tend to produce more ozone whilst high current white/yellow arcs produce more nitric oxide from the intense heat and combustion of the air.

Non of this has ever stopped me though ( ;

[Electorials]

Thanks for the fast reply. The article is really interesting!