Many switches are not rated for 5,000 Amps. Pitting of the contacts would be an issue unless you took precautons to limit the inrush current. Either a properly sized switch, or inductor to limit the current rise time to allow the switch to settle, or a proper sized semiconductor switch will need to be used.
The energy you are trying to switch is quite high.
Nichrome Ignition
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Technician1002
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jimmy101
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What Tech said, except "many switches are not rated to 5,000 Amps" should read "there are nearly no switches (commonly available) that are rated at 5,000 Amp". 
A typical 120 VAC wall switch is rated at 20 Amps.
But don't fret, there is a cheap switch rated to the capacity of a typical photocap even if the entire energy content of the photocap is dumped in 1/1000 of a second.
It is called a flashtube.
Just wire your hot wire in series with the phototube of a flash unit. Trigger the flash unit and the phototube acts as the switch, triggered by the HV of the flash board.
A typical 120 VAC wall switch is rated at 20 Amps.But don't fret, there is a cheap switch rated to the capacity of a typical photocap even if the entire energy content of the photocap is dumped in 1/1000 of a second.
It is called a flashtube.
Just wire your hot wire in series with the phototube of a flash unit. Trigger the flash unit and the phototube acts as the switch, triggered by the HV of the flash board.
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mobile chernobyl
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Just get a nice little SCR and trigger it. I use them on my capacitor banks dumping many more volts than a standard photo cap without any problem.
you can get one that you need for very little.
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet ... 576-S4065K
That will be adequate and all you need to trigger it is a little 12v lipo and a resistor.
I'm working with one now that's rated for 1500A (working) at 1200V and it takes a little more current to kick it but the concepts the same.
you can get one that you need for very little.
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet ... 576-S4065K
That will be adequate and all you need to trigger it is a little 12v lipo and a resistor.
I'm working with one now that's rated for 1500A (working) at 1200V and it takes a little more current to kick it but the concepts the same.