Another voltmeter question for you guys...

Typical voltmeters are only good at measuring constant voltage/current. They're pretty "slow" in respond to changing voltage/current. An oscilloscope is much better.

BTW I didn't watch the video, still at work.

Why bother?

j.

Voltmeters are fairly good at indicating transient voltages, so I see no reason why not.... I suspect you are referring not to a volt meter (with needle sweep) but, rather, to a multimeter on Volts setting, in which case your disbelief would be valid.

The body does, indeed, have a very very good organ for storing charge: the skin (including hair).

thanks guys! I appreciate your feedback. guest, did you get a chance to watch the video in question, it would appear what he had was a multimeter then... no needle. the second video explains what I'm sure is what the guy in the first video is doing... I'm thinking they just failed to put the scanners on his sandals because they couldnt think for 1000 years that that was the source of the electricity generator. Len

Thanks, Linny. And, regrettably, my dial-up connection made it impractical to download the movies; accordingly my comment could only be guided by what I could infer from watching a few seconds, and by your and others' comments--that is to say, for one, that I anticipated that a multimeter was used, and that the energy source was not as claimed.

That said, I am not sure I would personally ascribe such activities as "scams"; after all, credulous people need entertainment too; and by my experience are likely to remain credulous in the face of any attempt at enlightenment. Also, while not a fan when it comes to fakery (including "fakiry") exhibitions, I can appreciate the dedication and self-discipline that is self imposed on some exhibitors. Like you, though, I am not prone to see your posted film's actor(s) as fitting into such a category.

That video was obviously engineered to help support his claim. Notice that when they show the voltmeter, they do not show it in a state PRIOR to attaching it to him. Most sensitive VMs will pick up strays. Mine dances around at about .4 - .8V just sitting on my bench. Not hard to duplicate, it just takes some EM fields in the vicinity.

I like how, after it is all done, the Indonesian guy claims he was chastised by his dead master and told to never reveal his powers in public or subject himself to further testing. Convenient.

Oh and just because they had "professors" from educational institutions check him out does not prove anything. Most profs I know will submit to a lot of phony baloney stuff in order to get a free trip overseas. They know that their reputations will not really be harmed, they just claim it was a "vacation" fun spree.

Jraef: that's the kind of feedback i was looking for. ALL of what he did is EASILY replicated by any competent magician, and the bit with the fire is an old carny trick and i know of at least 3 chemical combinations that would set newspapers on fire. (the flames even have a pinkish glow, but that could be to the video compression, or faded since it was filmed in the late 70s)

I like how, after it is all done, the Indonesian guy claims he was chastised by his dead master and told to never reveal his powers in public or subject himself to further testing. Convenient.

I picked up on that myself... after fooling two REALLY gullible filmmakers, he knew his legend would be secure forever, and that gullible people everywhere would be singing his praises with this "proof"!

Oh and just because they had "professors" from educational institutions check him out does not prove anything.

Yes... even more so when you discover who these "scientists" are: 1) Catherine Cooke- Niece of the guy who started the Mind Science Foundation, an organization that ENDORSES this kind of nonsense. Hardly a credible or skeptical person! She has ZERO interest in proving this guy is a fraud! (and NOT a scientist!) 2) Greg Simpson - hey! a scientist... although not from "Albert Einstein University" as the video suggests. 3) Roger Nielsen - a medical doctor, NOT a scientist 4) Chang's own student, NOT a scientist. So much for bringing in "a team of scientists who were skeptical"! Thanks for your voltmeter input... but to be correct, it's a multimeter and an oscilloscope would be much better, correct? Len