Not really asking for a friend, for reasons I cannot really explain, I need to verify that this part I’m working with is over 13,000 volts.
From what I gather my multi meter and oscilloscope can’t read that high or I potentially run the risk of frying my equipment doing so.
Any suggestions on how to verify the voltage for this part?
Not an electronics guy this is very new to me.
Thanks for any help!
I can’t really imagine why you’d need to be sure, but you might get there with an electric fence tester, I think you can find some cheap ones online. You could also measure how long of a gap you can make it spark across and find a calculator online, but really most of your options will not be super precise.
Looking at the part and using your keyboard keys for scale, I don’t see the part pictured could possibly be rated for 13KV. The insulation on the wire is not thick enough to be useful at 13KV using any material I’m aware of.
Unless your DMM or scope are extremely unusual or are using special probes you will damage them. Most DMMs and scopes are rated for well under 1KV max, and some have far lower limits.
There are specialized testers called “HiPot” (High Potential) testers. Most stop at about 5 KV, but there are some designed for higher voltages.
It;s hard to say much more base on the single unscaled image and what little you’ve said.
Qualtification: I’m a degreed electrical engineer and I’ve done a little high voltage work.
If you look closely at the red wire, you can read the markings on the insulation.
22 AWG
200°C
600V
As @ozindfw points out, that wire is simply not rated for 13kV and would be dangerous to try to use it at that voltage.
Good catch, I didn’t think to zoom in that far.
I didn’t actually even consider that this part is an ignition switch, so is there any reason why it wouldn’t be able to handle that for even 1 second for example? Again I’m a bit ignorant to this stuff.
Well considering that at 13k, the voltage will jump an air gap of 6.5”, I dont think it will SAFELY work.
For reference, here is some wire rated to over 13k (input is 13k2)
Yes it is, pretty much anyways.
Cheap little spark ignitors do usually play fast and loose with the voltage ratings. If the goal is to get a spark, then it doesn’t need to fully insulate it, as much as make the end of the wire the most enticing place for the spark to jump from. When the wire fails, the spark ends up jumping from halfway down the wire and the whole thing gets replaced.
Ultimately I would never hold onto that wire when it sparks though.
The voltage will vary greatly based on load (spark gap), as well. It’s probably better rated in terms of spark energy (mJ) and not peak voltage.
We used to have a HV meter probe in the eLab toolbox. I think it was 10-15Kv.
Piezo igniters put out a very short pulse - maybe as much as a few microseconds. It’s unlikely to register on a meter, and certainly won’t be accurate.
Oscilloscope probes might have enough bandwidth to see this, but many will not. You’ll need to read the specs on both the scope and probe to know if it has a chance of working.
Is this actually used as a gas igniter, or are you planning something else? In the gas igniter case the wire insulation is more of an envronmental protection for the wire. The wires are routed to have enough of an air gap. I also don’t think most of them put out any where near 13KV, but I could be wrong. It’s happened before. 
First of all - Do not attach this to any of the scopes in ELab.
Second - What are you trying to do? What’s so important about 13Kv?
Yes - Walter donated one and it was stolen. It’s been replaced. If anyone thinks they need it, they can pm me and we can talk about what you want to do. Probe is designed to be used with a meter - not so much for a scope.
