Tesla Coil

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4 total messages Started by Rich Carreiro Wed, 06 Jan 1993 05:21

#1137

Author: Rich Carreiro
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 1993 05:21

42 lines
2584 bytes

Hello.
A few questions on Tesla Coils...

(1) What's the theory of operation of them?  As I understand it, they
    are high-voltage, high-frequency sources.  How the high voltage is
    obtained is obvious; the heard of the thing is an air-core step-up
    transformer.  But where does the high frequency come in?  Is it as
    simple as feeding the output of a high-frequency oscillator into an
    air-core transformer with a high step-up ratio, or is it more complicated?
    I vaguely remember hearing something that a capacitor was needed; that 
    the capacitor and the primary coil formed an LC circuit that resonated
    at the desired high frequency.  Then a high-voltage source (like a
    transformer to drive neon tubes)  and a spark gap is used to energize
    the LC circuit; since the spark will have output at many frequencies,
    including the resonant freq. of the LC circuit.  Thus the 
    capacitor-primary coil circuit resonates and that is stepped up to
    a respectable voltage in the secondary.
    Am I totally out to lunch?  How does it really work?

(2) Anyone have a schematic for a Tesla coil?  Even if it doesn't have
    actual component values, a symbolic schematic would be nice.

(3) Anyone actually have instructions on how to build one?  I'd like to
    be able to build a coil that could throw off 6-inch to 1-foot sparks.
    Is this unrealistic?

(4) As for more mundane high voltages, what's a good place to get something
    to push 120 Volts to say, 15-20KVolts?  I've heard that transformers that
    drive neon lights (like in bars and stores) are good for this.  Are there
    any other sources?   Where do science museums get the transformers they
    use for things like Jacob's Ladder displays, for example?

(5) And yes, I realize how dangerous some of this stuff can be.

(6) Please email -- if there is interest, I'll summarize to the net.

Thanks in advance -- I appreciate any help you all can give.

-- 
Rich Carreiro                                  Home: (401)841-8514
rlcarr@animato.network23.com
uunet.uu.net!animato!rlcarr

Re: Tesla Coil

#1139

Author: Jeffrey Luszcz
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 1993 18:01

28 lines
1471 bytes

In article <rlcarr.09j9@animato.network23.com> Rich Carreiro,
rlcarr@animato.network23.com writes:
>(4) As for more mundane high voltages, what's a good place to get
something
>    to push 120 Volts to say, 15-20KVolts?  I've heard that transformers
that
>    drive neon lights (like in bars and stores) are good for this.  Are
there
>    any other sources?   Where do science museums get the transformers
they
>    use for things like Jacob's Ladder displays, for example?
>

 In high school (in my much stupider days) we used an old oil
burner transformer and two metal coat hangers to make a jacobs 
latter.
    
        \    *    /
         \ {   }/
          \     /
            \ /
         [ oil ]

    
  Worked pretty well and I old was only shocked once. 

   -Jeff Luszcz
    cc2x@vax5.cit.cornell.edu

Re: Tesla Coil

#1142

Author: Craig "Powderkeg" DeForest
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 00:29

16 lines
1454 bytes

In article <foo> rlcarr@animato.network23.com (Rich Carreiro) writes:
   (4) As for more mundane high voltages, what's a good place to get something
       to push 120 Volts to say, 15-20KVolts?  I've heard that transformers 
       that drive neon lights (like in bars and stores) are good for this. 
       Are there any other sources?  

The most available, fun HV source I know is probably right in front of your 
face!  CRTs generally have electron guns that rely on high voltages to 
accelerate the beasties.  B/W sets typically have 1-5 kV inside, color
up to, say, 30 kV!  Wow!

I used to light candles and so forth by unclipping the electron drain line
from the top of the CRT in my terminal, and making it arc to the chassis.
Stick <object-to-be-lit> into the (~1/2") arc, and you've got it!
--
DON'T DRINK SOAP! DILUTE DILUTE! OK!

Re: Tesla Coil

#1146

Author: Carl J Lydick
Date: Sat, 09 Jan 1993 23:50

15 lines
1248 bytes

In article <rlcarr.09j9@animato.network23.com>, rlcarr@animato.network23.com (Rich Carreiro) writes:
>Hello.
>A few questions on Tesla Coils...
>
>(1) What's the theory of operation of them?

Maxwell's Equations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.

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