The Great Canadian Alligator Clip

Where can we find an alligator clip to ground out a screwdriver?

If you’re going to remove a fly-back transformer from an old TV, as shown here (we’re giving them credit because we took their picture), you first need to safely discharge what could be up to 30,000 volts in the tube. Hook up an alligator clip to the screwdriver, and ground it, they say.

We have the TV, but we’re meeting outside of our normal lair at the DDO. We want to do it now. Besides, old 32 inch TVs are too heavy to lug down to the basement.

At ylab, our sense of scale may be a little warped by being so close to the big giant telescope. Because someone said “Wait, I have a Canadian alligator clip in my car.”

30,000 volts? Ha! With this kind of wire gauge, we could take a lightning strike.

After a safe and honourable discharge, we got all the components we wanted.

No Peks were harmed in the making of this post.