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August 9, 2024, Episode #443
In this episode of Circuit Break, Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig delve into the fascinating and somewhat humorous topic of hot dog conductivity. They explore an in-depth study conducted by Seth Jenkins, Neil LaTourette, and Brendan Liverman on how boiling time affects hot dog conductivity. The hosts also discuss the historical Presto Hot Dogger, community experiments involving hot dogs, and various methods of cooking hot dogs, all while interspersing their own anecdotes and insights. This episode is a blend of scientific curiosity and light-hearted banter, making for an entertaining listen.
Key Discussion Points
- Introduction to hot dog conductivity and its surprising properties.
- Shout out to Seth Jenkins, Neil LaTourette, and Brendan Liverman for their 2007 study on hot dog conductivity.
- Historical gadget: The Presto Hot Dogger and its mechanism.
- BigCliveDotCom's high-voltage experiment with the Presto Hot Dogger.
- The Thought Emporium's thermite-based "Instant Hot Dog" device.
- Methodology of Jenkins, LaTourette, and Liverman's experiment on hot dog conductivity.
- Scientific explanation of why boiled hot dogs conduct electricity.
- Results and observations: Boiling time and its effect on conductivity.
- Engineering curiosities and implications for food safety and electrical experimentation.
- Personal anecdotes and nostalgia related to hot dog preparation.
- Various methods of cooking hot dogs: boiling, grilling, pan-frying, and the Presto Hot Dogger.
- Community debate on the best way to cook hot dogs.
Relevant Links
- Conductivity of Hot Dogs Experiment
- BigCliveDotCom's High-Voltage Presto Hot Dogger Experiment
- The Thought Emporium’s Instant Hot Dog Video
- Instructables: What's the Cost to Cook a Hot Dog?
- National Hot Dog and Sausage Council
Community Questions
- What is your favorite method of cooking hot dogs and why?
- Have you ever experimented with unconventional ways of cooking food? Share your experiences!
- What are your thoughts on using hot dogs as conductors in electrical experiments?
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Subscribe to Circuit Break wherever you get your podcasts! And join our online discussion hub at forum.macrofab.com to keep the conversation going with electrical engineering experts and experimenters! You can also email us at podcast@macrofab.com.
About the Hosts
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Parker Dillmann
Parker is an Electrical Engineer with backgrounds in Embedded System Design and Digital Signal Processing. He got his start in 2005 by hacking Nintendo consoles into portable gaming units. The following year he designed and produced an Atari 2600 video mod to allow the Atari to display a crisp, RF fuzz free picture on newer TVs. Over a thousand Atari video mods where produced by Parker from 2006 to 2011 and the mod is still made by other enthusiasts in the Atari community.
In 2006, Parker enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin as a Petroleum Engineer. After realizing electronics was his passion he switched majors in 2007 to Electrical and Computer Engineering. Following his previous background in making the Atari 2600 video mod, Parker decided to take more board layout classes and circuit design classes. Other areas of study include robotics, microcontroller theory and design, FPGA development with VHDL and Verilog, and image and signal processing with DSPs. In 2010, Parker won a Ti sponsored Launchpad programming and design contest that was held by the IEEE CS chapter at the University. Parker graduated with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Spring of 2012.
In the Summer of 2012, Parker was hired on as an Electrical Engineer at Dynamic Perception to design and prototype new electronic products. Here, Parker learned about full product development cycles and honed his board layout skills. Seeing the difficulties in managing operations and FCC/CE compliance testing, Parker thought there had to be a better way for small electronic companies to get their product out in customer's hands.
Parker also runs the blog, longhornengineer.com, where he posts his personal projects, technical guides, and appnotes about board layout design and components.
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Stephen Kraig
Stephen Kraig is a component engineer working in the aerospace industry. He has applied his electrical engineering knowledge in a variety of contexts previously, including oil and gas, contract manufacturing, audio electronic repair, and synthesizer design. A graduate of Texas A&M, Stephen has lived his adult life in the Houston, TX, and Denver, CO, areas.
Stephen has never said no to a project. From building guitar amps (starting when he was 17) to designing and building his own CNC table to fine-tuning the mineral composition of the water he uses to brew beer, he thrives on testing, experimentation, and problem-solving. Tune into the podcast to learn more about the wacky stuff Stephen gets up to.
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Berry Based Physics with Collin Anderson
This week we have Collin Anderson on the podcast to discuss quantum wave mechanics and how it relates to electricity flowing through conductors.
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