SIUC Physics Seminar
School of Physics and Applied Physics, Southern Illinois University--Carbondale
2025 October 03 Friday 3:00 PM:
Physics Seminar in Neckers 440
Title: 100,000 Amps and Beyond from Short-Circuiting a Bank of 400 Car Batteries
Speaker: Drake Anthony
Affiliation: YouTuber
[Styropyro], SIUC Alumni
Video recording
Abstract:
Lead-acid was the first rechargeable battery type to be invented,
yet is still one of the most commonly used batteries today due to its durability,
recyclability, and low internal impedance. In particular, its robust operation
during short circuit conditions makes it attractive as a source of extremely
high currents of long duration. This project aims to achieve the currents seen
in the top 1% of lightning strikes by short circuiting a bank of 400 car batteries.
The bulk of this work is engineering a switching mechanism that can handle
the enormous Lorentz forces at play. The goal of this project is to film the
rarely encountered phenomena produced by sustained, extreme currents.
Biography:
Drake Anthony has been publishing videos to the YouTube channel `styropyro' since 2006,
covering topics related to lasers, chemistry, and power electronics. He received his
B.Sc. in Chemistry from SIU in 2016, working as a research assistant in the Goodson lab
while earning his degree. In his free time, he enjoys chasing tornadoes,
foraging for mushrooms, and training martial arts.
Last updated on
by K V Shajesh
(kvshajesh@gmail.com).