Tesla Coil
Project Synopsis
We would like to build a tesla coil for the mustache laser party (and beyond!)
Design Summary
<Insert schematic here>
Components
Secondary Coil
A secondary wound on an 8" piece of green PVC is already available for use. <insert details of wire and length here>
Primary Coil
A flat inductor used as a resonator within the LC tank circuit which is magnetically coupled to the secondary. Needs to be tuned with the main capacitor to the resonant frequency of the secondary LC circuit.
Materials needed
Small copper tubing in a flat spiral. 10-15 turns at 3/4" to 1" inch spacing starting at an 11"-12" diameter.
Transformer
A 12KV 30mA neon sign transformer and an 18KV (current rating unknown) transformer are available for use.
Spark Gap
Discharges the energy stored in the main capacitor into the tank circuit. Forms the trigger for the relaxation oscillator once the capacitor charges to a specific voltage.
Materials needed
10x 1/2" to 1" copper pipe sections attached to a flat surface lain in parallel to form multiple small gaps of 1/8" to 1/4". Tuneable to using aligator clips to select different sections of pipe.
Main Capacitor
Stores energy until a certain voltage is reached, then discharges through the main spark gap and sets up a resonance between the primary coil.
An exponentially decaying RF waveform is produced until the energy is dissapated, recharging begins at the next 60Hz peak (discharge is therefore at 120Hz).
We already have a 30nF 35KV maxwell pulse capacitor designed for high frequency use.
Protection Inductors (RF Chokes)
Provides a high impedance to RF in order to contain the RF within the tank circuit. Allows 60hz to pass unimpeded.
Materials needed
Magnet wire and wooden dowel. Target 10mH. Separate winding layers with an insulator to keep arcs from forming between the input and the output (which will have kilovolt potential differences)
Protection Capacitors
These shunt any RF energy that passes the RF chokes to ground instead of injecting it into the transformer secondary.
Materials needed
Two Old English 800 beer bottles, salt water, AL foil.
Protection Spark Gap
A simple tunable spark gap consisting of a grounded middle section with a gap on either side to each leg of the transformer's differential output.
Materials needed
Three pieces of threaded rod, 1 to 2" long and polished as round as possible (to provide an even E field and predictable breakdown voltage)
Discharge Terminal
A smooth conductive surface to use as a capacitor in the LC secondary resonator assembly. A jack-O-electrons.
Materials needed
Pumpking, knife, evil