Tesla coil: what is it, why is it needed and how to create it yourself at home. DIY Tesla coil - diagram and calculation of a simple electrical decoration with your own hands

The Tesla transformer was invented by the famous inventor, engineer, physicist, Nikola Tesla. The device is a resonant transformer that produces a high voltage of high frequency. In 1896, on September 22, Nikola Tesla patented his invention as "Apparatus for the production of electrical currents of high frequency and potential." With this device he tried to transmit electrical energy without wires long distances. In 1891, Nikola Tesla demonstrated to the world demonstrative experiments on the transfer of energy from one coil to another. His device spewed lightning and made fluorescent lamps glow in the hands of astonished spectators. Through the transmission of high voltage high frequency current, the scientist dreamed of providing free electricity to any building, private house and other objects. But, unfortunately, due to the high energy consumption and low efficiency, the Tesla coil has not been widely used. Despite this, radio amateurs from different parts of the world collect small Tesla coils for fun and experimentation.

Tesla coils are also used to conduct recreational activities and Tesla show. In 1987, the Soviet radio engineer Vladimir Ilyich Brovin invented an electromagnetic oscillation generator, named after him "Brovin's kacher", used as an element of an electromagnetic compass operating on a single transistor. I suggest you assemble a working model of the Tesla coil or Brovin's kacher with your own hands from improvised materials.

List of radio components for assembling the Tesla Coil:

• Enameled wire PETV-2 diameter 0.2 mm
• Copper wire in PVC insulation diameter 2.2 mm
• Tuba from silicone sealant
• Foil textolite 200x110 mm
• Resistors 2.2K, 500R
• Capacitor 1mF
• LEDs 3 volt 2 pcs
• Radiator 100x60x10 mm
• Voltage regulator L7812CV or KR142EN8B
• Fan 12 volt from the computer
• Banana connector 2 pcs
• Pipe copper diameter 8 mm 130 cm
• Transistor MJE13006, 13007, 13008, 13009 from Soviet KT805, KT819 and similar

The Tesla coil consists of two windings. The primary winding L1 contains 2.5 turns of copper wire in PVC insulation with a diameter of 2.2 mm. The secondary winding L2 contains 350 turns in varnish insulation with a diameter of 0.2 mm.

The frame for the secondary winding L2 is a silicone sealant tube. Having previously removed the remnants of the sealant, cut off a part of the tube 110 mm long. Stepping back 20 mm from the bottom and top, wind 350 turns of copper wire with a diameter of 0.2 mm. The wire can be obtained from the primary winding of any old small-sized 220V transformer, for example, from a Chinese radio. The coil is wound in one layer turn to turn, as tightly as possible. The ends of the wire should be passed into the inside of the frame through a preliminary drilled holes. For reliability, cover the finished coil a couple of times with nitro-lacquer. Insert a sharply sharpened metal rod into the piston, solder the upper winding output to it and fix it with hot glue. Then insert the piston into the coil frame. Cut off a threaded ring from the spout, you will get a nut, with which you can easily fix the coil on the textolite board by screwing the resulting nut onto the thread of the outlet of the tube. Drill a hole in the bottom of the frame for the LED and the second winding output.

I used an MJE13009 transistor in my coil. Transistors MJE13006, 13007, 13008, 13009 from the Soviet KT805, KT819 and other similar ones are also suitable. Be sure to place the transistor on the radiator, during operation it will heat up very much and therefore I suggest installing a fan and slightly improving the circuit.

Since, to power the coil, a voltage of more than 12 volts is required. The Tesla coil develops maximum power at a supply voltage of 30 volts. And since the fan is designed for 12 volts, then the voltage regulator L7812CV or the Soviet analogue KR142EN8B should be added to the circuit. Well, to make the coil look more modern and attract attention, let's add a couple of LEDs of blue color. One LED illuminates the coil from the inside, and the second illuminates the coil from below. The diagram will look like this.

Place all components of the Tesla coil on the printed circuit board. If you do not want to make a printed circuit board, simply place all the parts of the Tesla coil on a piece of MDF or corrugated cardboard from a paper box and connect them together using the surface mounting method.

Finished printed circuit board will look like this. One LED is soldered in the center, it illuminates the space under printed circuit board. Make the legs out of four blind nuts screwed onto the screws.

The second LED is soldered under the coil, it will illuminate it from the inside.

Be sure to smear the transistor and voltage regulator with thermal paste and place it on a 100x60x10 mm radiator. Voltage regulator follows.

The primary winding should be wound in the same direction as the secondary winding. That is, if the L2 coil was wound clockwise, then the L1 coil must also be wound clockwise. The frequency of coil L1 must match the frequency of coil L2. To achieve resonance, the L1 coil needs to be tuned a little. We do this, on a frame with a diameter of 80 mm we wind 5 turns of bare copper wire with a diameter of 2.2 mm. We solder a flexible wire to the lower output of the coil L1, fasten a flexible wire to the upper output so that it can be moved.

Turn on the power, bring the neon lamp to the coil. If it does not glow, then it is necessary to swap the conclusions of the coil L1. Next, empirically select the vertical position of the coil L1 and the number of turns. We move the wire screwed to the upper output of the coil down, we achieve maximum distance on which the neon lamp will light up, this will be the optimal range of the Tesla coil. As a result, you should get, like I have 2.5 turns. After the experiments, we make the L1 coil from a wire in PVC insulation and solder it in place.

We enjoy the results of our labors... After turning on the power, a streamer 15 mm long appears, a neon light starts to glow in the hands.

Yes, filmed a saga star Wars... Here it is, the secret of the Jedai sword ...

In an automobile lamp, a small plasma appears emanating from the incandescent filament to the glass bulb of the lamp.

To significantly increase the power of the Tesla coil, I recommend making a torroid from a copper tube with a diameter of 8 mm. Ring diameter 130 mm. As a torroid, you can use aluminum foil crumpled into a ball, a metal jar, a radiator from a computer and other unnecessary, bulky items.

After installing the torroid, the power of the coil increased significantly. From copper wire located next to the torroid, a streamer 15 mm long appears.

And even LED...

And this is the plasma that occurs in a car light bulb when it is next to a torroid.

To make a torroid or not, it's up to you. I just showed and told you about how I made a Tesla coil or a Brovin kacher on one transistor, with my own hands and about what I did. My coil produces high voltage high frequency current according to the laws of physics. Thanks to Nikola Tesla and Vladimir Ilyich Brovin for their huge contribution to science!

Friends, I wish you good luck and Have a good mood! See you in new articles!

Nikola Tesla, like many other physicists, to the study of the energy of currents and methods of its transmission, the creation of unique developments. One of them was a Tesla coil - this is designed to receive high frequency currents.

Tesla was definitely a genius. It was he who brought into the world the use alternating current and patented many inventions. One of them is the famous coil, or Tesla transformer. If you have certain knowledge and skills, you can easily create a Tesla coil at home on your own. Let's find out what the essence of this device is and how to create it at home, if you suddenly really want it.

What is a Tesla coil and why is it needed?

As noted earlier, the Tesla coil is a resonant transformer. The purpose of the transformer is to change the voltage value electric current. These devices are respectively step-down and step-up.

Many are trying to repeat the numerous unique experiments of the great genius. However, for this they will have to solve the most important task - how to make a Tesla coil at home. But how to do that? Let's try to describe in detail so that you can do it the first time.

How to make a Tesla coil at home with your own hands

On the Internet you can find a lot of information on how to make a musical or mini Tesla coil with your own hands. But we will tell and demonstrate using illustrations as an example how to make a simple 220 Volt Tesla coil at home.

Since this invention was created by Nikola Tesla for experiments with high-voltage charges, it contains the following elements: a power source, a capacitor, 2 coils (the charge will circulate between them), 2 electrodes (the charge will jump between them).

The Tesla coil is used in a variety of applications, from televisions and particle accelerators to toys for children.

To get started, you will need the following items:

• power supply from neon signs (supply transformer);
• several ceramic capacitors;
• metal bolts;
• hair dryer (if there is no hair dryer, you can use a fan);
• copper wire varnished;
• metal ball or ring;
• toroidal forms for coils (can be replaced with cylindrical ones);
• safety bar;
• chokes;
• ground pin.

Creation should take place in the following steps.

Design

To begin with, it is worth deciding what size the coil should be and where it will be located.

If finances allow, you can create just a huge generator at home. But you should remember one thing important detail : The coil creates a lot of sparks that heat up the air, causing it to expand. The result is thunder. As a result, the created electromagnetic field is able to disable all electrical appliances. Therefore, it is better to create it not in an apartment, but somewhere in a more secluded and remote corner (garage, workshop, etc.).

If you want to determine in advance how long the arc will be for your coil or the power of the required power supply, take the following measurements: divide the distance between the electrodes in centimeters by 4.25, square the resulting number. The final number will be your power in watts. And vice versa - to find out the distance between the electrodes, the square root of the power must be multiplied by 4.25. For a Tesla coil, which will be able to create an arc one and a half meters long, 1,246 watts will be required. And a device with a one kilowatt power supply can make a spark 1.37 meters long.

Next, we study terminology. To create such an unusual device, you will need to understand highly specialized scientific terms and units of measurement. And in order not to blunder and do everything right, you will have to learn to understand their meaning and meaning. Here is some information that will help:

1. What is electric capacitance ? This is the ability to accumulate and hold an electric charge of a certain voltage. Something that stores an electrical charge is called capacitor. Farad is a unit of measure for electric charges (F). It can be expressed in terms of 1 ampere second (Coulomb) multiplied by a volt. Typically, capacitance is measured in parts per million or trillions of a farad (micro- and picofarads).
2. What is self-induction? This is the name of the phenomenon of the occurrence of EMF in the conductor when the current passing through it changes. High-voltage wires, through which low-ampere current flows, have high self-inductance. Its unit of measurement is Henry (H), which corresponds to a circuit where, when the current changes at a rate of one ampere per second, an EMF of 1 Volt is created. Typically, inductance is measured in mi- and microhenries (thousandths and millionths).
3. What is resonant frequency ? This is the name of the frequency at which the energy transmission losses will be minimal. In a Tesla coil, this will be the frequency of the minimum loss in the transfer of energy between the primary and secondary windings. Its unit of measurement is hertz (Hz), that is, one cycle per second. The resonant frequency is usually measured in thousands of hertz or kilohertz (kHz).

Gathering the necessary parts

We have already written above what components you will need to create a Tesla coil at home. And if you are a radio amateur, you will certainly have some of this (or even all).

Here are some of the required details:

• the power source must feed through the inductor a storage or primary oscillatory circuit, consisting of a primary coil, a primary capacitor and a spark gap;
• the primary coil should be located near the secondary coil, which is an element of the secondary oscillatory circuit, but the circuits should not be connected by wires. As soon as the secondary capacitor accumulates a sufficient charge, it will immediately begin to release electrical charges into the air.

Creating a Tesla Coil

1. Choosing a transformer. It is the supply transformer that will decide what size your coil will be. Most of such coils are powered by transformers capable of delivering a current of 30 to 100 milliamps at a voltage of five to fifteen thousand volts. You can find the right transformer at the nearest radio market, on the Internet, or you can remove it from a neon sign.
2. Making the primary capacitor. It can be assembled from several smaller capacitors by connecting them in a circuit. Then they will be able to accumulate equal shares of charge in the primary circuit. True, it is necessary that all small capacitors have the same capacitance. Each of these small capacitors will be called composite.

You can buy a small capacitor on the radio market, on the Internet, or remove ceramic capacitors from an old TV. However, if you have golden hands, you can make them yourself from aluminum foil using plastic wrap.

For achievement maximum power it is necessary that the primary capacitor is fully charged every half cycle of power supply. For a 60 Hz power supply, it needs to be charged 120 times per second.

1. Designing a spark gap. To make a single spark gap, use a minimum of six millimeters (thick) wire. Then the electrodes will be able to withstand the heat that is generated during charging. In addition, it is possible to make a multi-electrode or rotary spark gap, as well as to cool the electrodes by air blowing. For these purposes, an old household vacuum cleaner is perfect.
2. We make the winding of the primary coil. We make the coil itself from wire, but you need a form around which you have to wind the wire. For these purposes, varnished copper wire is used, which you can buy at a radio electronics store or simply remove it from any old unnecessary electrical appliance. The shape around which we will wind the wire should be conical or cylindrical (plastic or cardboard tube, old lampshade, etc.). Due to the length of the wire, the inductance of the primary coil can be adjusted. The latter should have a low inductance, so it should have not a large number of turns. The wire for the primary coil does not have to be solid - you can fasten several together to adjust the inductance during assembly.
3. We collect in one circuit the primary capacitor, the spark gap and the primary coil. This circuit will form the primary oscillatory circuit.
4. Making a secondary inductor. Here we also need a cylindrical shape where we need to wind the wire. This coil must have the same resonant frequency as the primary, otherwise losses cannot be avoided. The secondary coil must be higher than the primary coil, because it will have more inductance and it will prevent the discharge of the secondary circuit (it is this that can lead to the combustion of the primary coil). If there are not enough materials to create a large secondary coil, a discharging electrode can be made. This will protect the primary circuit, but cause this electrode to take on most of the discharges, resulting in the discharges not being visible.
5. Create a secondary capacitor, or terminal. It should have a rounded shape. Usually it is a torus (donut-shaped ring) or a sphere.
6. We connect the secondary capacitor and the secondary coil. This will be the secondary oscillatory circuit, which must be grounded away from home wiring, which powers the source of the Tesla coil. What is it for? This way it will be possible to avoid the wandering of high-voltage currents through the wiring of the house and the subsequent harm to any connected electrical appliances. For a separate grounding, it will be enough just to drive a metal pin into the ground.
7. We make impulse chokes. Make such small coil, which can prevent the breakdown of the power source by the arrester, can be done if a copper wire is wound around a thin tube.
8. Putting all the details together. We place the primary and secondary oscillatory circuits side by side, through the chokes we connect a supply transformer to the primary circuit. That's all! To use the Tesla coil for its intended purpose, just turn on the transformer!

If the primary coil is too large in diameter, you can place the secondary coil inside the primary.

And here is the whole sequence of collecting the Tesla coil in pictures:

Tip 1: if you want to control the direction of the discharges that come out of the secondary capacitor, place any metal object so that there is no contact between the two. In this case, the contact will take the form of an arc stretching from the capacitor to the object. Interestingly, if placed next to fluorescent lamp or an incandescent bulb, then thanks to the Tesla coil, they will begin to glow.

Tip 2 : If you want to design and create a quality coil, you need to make complex mathematical calculations. However, if you yourself cannot complete them, look for helpers or formulas from the Internet.

Tip 3 : You should not start building a Tesla coil if you do not have the appropriate engineering experience or knowledge in electronics.

Tip 4 : The latest generation of neon signs contain solid state power supplies with a built-in residual current device. This makes them unsuitable for building a Tesla coil.!

The world of physics and electronics is fraught with many secrets and beauty, which, with proper experience and knowledge, can be recreated by everyone with their own hands. So you, following all the above tips, can always create the legendary Tesla coil at home with your own hands, impressing guests and seducing the opposite sex. And if a brilliant mind and a thirst for inventions prevent you from studying, just use the services for students!

Some images are taken from the source:

Amazing things happen all the time in our world. So the great inventor Nikola Tesla once invented a miracle of technology - the Tesla coil. This is a transformer that allows you to increase the output voltage and frequency of electric current many times over. In the common people, this device is called a Tesla coil.

Today, a large number of technology uses the principle of operation of the invention of the great physicist of the past. However, since that time, technology has improved, so there are more modern views transformers, but they are also called Tesla coils.

Types of Tesla Coils

• Actually, the coil of Tesla himself (a spark gap was used in the composition);
• Transformer on a radio tube;
• Coil on transistors;
• Resonance coils (two pieces).

All coils have similar principle work, only the complexity of their assembly and the electronics used differ.

looking at a photo homemade coils Tesla, involuntarily you want exactly the same home for yourself. After all, their work is such a beautiful sight that it is impossible to take your eyes off.

However, many are afraid to take on the manufacture of such a device, justifying this by the fact that it will take a lot of time and effort to work, and besides, all this is life-threatening.

But we assure you, the circuit of a conventional Tesla coil is quite simple. Therefore, we invite you to assemble this unusual device yourself.

Tesla coil assembly step by step

So, we don’t need to demonstrate aerobatics, so we will make the simplest coil using a transistor in its assembly. It is the most sparing in terms of time and money, and therefore it suits us perfectly.

The structure of the Tesla coil

• Primary coil (primary circuit);
• Secondary coil (secondary circuit);
• Source of power;
• grounding;
• Ring of protection.

These are the main elements of transformers. It should be noted that in various types coils can meet other components.

The principle of operation of the device

The power supply supplies the correct voltage to the primary circuit. After that, the circuit produces high-frequency oscillations, which, in turn, force the secondary circuit to create its own oscillations, going with the first in resonance. Due to this, a current with a high voltage and frequency arises in the second coil, which forms the expected effect - the streamer. Now you need to collect all the elements in one heap.

Necessary materials

• As a source, let's take a car battery (or any other source of constant voltage 12-19 V);
• Copper wire (preferably in enamel) with a diameter of 0.1 to 0.3 mm. and about 200 meters long;
• Another copper wire with a diameter of 1 mm;
• Two frames (dielectric). One (for the secondary circuit) with a diameter of 4 to 7 cm and a length of 15-30 cm. The other (for the primary circuit) should be a few centimeters larger in diameter and shorter in length;
• Transistor D13007 (you can use others identical to it);
• Pay;
• A few resistors of 5 - 75 kOhm, with a power of 0.25 watts.

Assembling a Tesla coil yourself at home

Here we smoothly approached the assembly of the installation itself. First, let's create a secondary circuit. Tightly, without overlaps, we wind a thin wire with a diameter of 0.15 mm on a long frame. You need to make at least 1000 turns (but you don’t need much). After that, we cover the coil with varnish in several layers (other materials can be used) so that the wire is not damaged in the future.

Now about the terminal. It allows you to control the streamers, but at low power it is not necessary, instead you can simply bring the end of the coil up a few centimeters.

For another coil, we wind a thick wire on the remaining frame. In total, you need to make 10 turns. The secondary circuit must be inside the primary.

Now we set everything so that the structure does not fall off and the primary and secondary circuits do not collide together (this is what the frame is for). Ideally, the distance between them should be around 1 cm.

After we connect everything together. We connect the primary circuit and one resistor to the plus of the power source, to which we connect another resistor in series. We connect the secondary circuit and the transistor to the end of the second resistor. We connect the other end of the primary circuit to the second contact of the transistor. And the third contact of the transistor is connected to the minus of the power source.

When connecting, it is important not to confuse the transistor contacts. You also need to fasten a radiator or other cooling to it. Everything is ready, you can try the device in practice. However, do not forget about safety. Do not touch anything, only in the dielectric!

You can check the operability of the installation by the presence of a streamer, or if there is none, you can bring the light to the coil, and if it lights up, then everything is in order.

DIY Tesla Coil Photo

Nikola Tesla, is a coil or resonant transformer capable of delivering high voltage at high frequency. In order to represent the operation of this device, it is necessary to know the principle of the Tesla coil.

Tesla transformer: principle of operation

Principle of operation this device comparable to the action of a conventional swing. In the forced swing mode, the maximum amplitude is in proportion to the forces applied. If the rocking is performed in a free mode, there is an even greater increase in the maximum amplitude.

In the coil, the swing is the secondary oscillation circuit, and the applied force is carried out by the generator. They work at a strictly designated time.

Tesla coil design

In the very simple transformer There are two coils - primary and secondary. In addition, the design includes a spark gap, a capacitor and a terminal. In the end, two contours of oscillations connected with each other are formed. This is the main difference between a Tesla coil and a conventional transformer.

In order for the coil to work fully, both oscillation circuits are tuned to the same resonance frequency. The adjustment is made by adjusting the primary circuit to the secondary one, changing the capacitance of the capacitor and the number of turns. As a result, the maximum voltage is formed at the output of the coil.

For the operation of the Tesla transformer, a pulsed mode is used. At the first stage, the value of the charge of the capacitor must be equal to the voltage causing the breakdown of the arrester. In the second stage, high frequency oscillations are generated in the primary circuit. In parallel, a spark gap is switched on, closing the transformer and removing it from the common circuit. Otherwise, losses may occur in the primary circuit, which may affect the quality of its work. In a normal circuit, the arrester is usually installed in parallel with the power supply.

Thus, the voltage value at the output of the Tesla coil can be several million volts. With the help of such a voltage, in, reaching a considerable length. Them appearance literally bewitches, and in many cases the transformer is used as a decorative item.

The principle of operation of the Tesla coil helps to find practical applications for this device. As a rule, it is assigned a cognitive and aesthetic role. This is due to certain difficulties in controlling the device and transmitting received over a distance.

Nikola Tesla is a legendary figure, and the meaning of some of his inventions is disputed to this day. We will not go into mysticism, but rather talk about how to make something spectacular according to Tesla's "recipes". This is a Tesla coil. Seeing her once, you will never forget this incredible and amazing sight!

General information

If we talk about the simplest such transformer (coil), then it consists of two coils that do not have a common core. There must be at least a dozen turns of thick wire on the primary winding. At least 1000 turns are already wound on the secondary. Please note that the Tesla coil has one that is 10-50 times greater than the ratio of the number of turns on the second winding to the first.

The output voltage of such a transformer can exceed several million volts. It is this circumstance that ensures the appearance of spectacular discharges, the length of which can reach several meters at once.

When was the power of the transformer first demonstrated to the public?

In the town of Colorado Springs, a generator at a local power plant once completely burned out. The reason was that the current from it went to power the primary winding. During this ingenious experiment, the scientist proved for the first time to the community that the existence of a standing electromagnetic wave- reality. If your dream is a Tesla coil, the most difficult thing to do with your own hands is the primary winding.

In general, making it yourself is not so difficult, but it is much more difficult to give finished product visually appealing look.

The simplest transformer

First you have to find somewhere a source of high voltage, and at least 1.5 kV. However, it is best to immediately rely on 5 kV. Then we attach it all to a suitable capacitor. If its capacitance is too large, you can experiment a little with diode bridges. After that, you make the so-called spark gap, for the sake of the effect of which the entire Tesla coil is created.

It’s easy to make: we take a couple of wires, and then we twist them with electrical tape so that the bare ends look in one direction. We very carefully adjust the gap between them so that the breakdown is at a voltage slightly higher than that for the power source. Don't worry, since the current is AC, the peak voltage will always be slightly higher than stated. After that, the entire structure can be connected to the primary winding.

In this case, for the manufacture of the secondary one, only 150-200 turns can be wound on any cardboard sleeve. If you do everything correctly, you will get a good discharge, as well as its noticeable branching. It is very important to ground the output from the second coil well.

This is how it turned out the simplest coil Tesla. Anyone who has at least minimal knowledge in electrics can do it with their own hands.

We construct a more "serious" device

All this is good, but how does a transformer work, which is not a shame to show even at some exhibition? It is quite possible to make a more powerful device, but this will require a lot more work. First, we warn you that in order to conduct such experiments, you must have very reliable wiring, otherwise trouble cannot be avoided! So what should be taken into account? Tesla coils, as we said, need really high voltage.

It must be at least 6 kV, otherwise you will not see beautiful discharges, and the settings will constantly go astray. In addition, the spark plug should only be made from solid pieces of copper, and for the sake of your own safety, they should be fixed as firmly as possible in one position. The power of the entire "household" should be at least 60 watts, but it is better to take 100 or more. If this value is lower, then you definitely will not get a really spectacular Tesla coil.

Very important! Both the capacitor and the primary winding must eventually form a specific oscillatory circuit entering into a state of resonance with the secondary winding.

Keep in mind that the winding can resonate in several different ranges at once. Experiments have shown that the frequency is 200, 400, 800 or 1200 kHz. As a rule, it all depends on the condition and location of the primary winding. If you don’t have it, you will have to experiment with the capacitance of the capacitor, as well as change the number of turns on the winding.

Once again, we remind you that we are discussing a bifilar Tesla coil (with two coils). So the issue of winding should be taken seriously, because otherwise nothing sensible will come of the idea.

Some information about capacitors

It is better to take the capacitor itself with a not too outstanding capacity (so that it has time to accumulate a charge in time) or use a diode bridge designed to rectify alternating current. We note right away that the use of a bridge is more justified, since capacitors of almost any capacity can be used, but you will have to take a special resistor to discharge the structure. The current from him beats very (!) Strongly.

Note that the Tesla coil on the transistor is not considered by us. After all, you simply will not find transistors with the desired characteristics.

Important!

In general, we remind you once again: before assembling the Tesla coil, check the condition of all wiring in the house or apartment, take care of the availability of high-quality grounding! This may seem like a boring exhortation, but such tension is not to be trifled with!

Be sure to very reliably isolate the windings from each other, otherwise you will be guaranteed to break through. On the secondary winding, it is desirable to make insulation between the layers of turns, since any more or less deep scratch on the wire will be decorated with a small but extremely dangerous discharge corona. And now - to work!

Getting Started

As you can see, you will not need so many elements for assembly. It is only necessary to remember that for correct operation devices must not only be assembled correctly, but also properly configured! However, first things first.

Transformers (MOTs) can be dismantled from any old microwave oven. This is almost standard, but it has one important difference: its core almost always operates in saturation mode. Thus, a very compact and simple device may well deliver up to 1.5 kV. Unfortunately, they also have specific disadvantages.

So, the value of the no-load current is approximately three to four amperes, and the heating even in idle is very large. For an average microwave oven, the MOT produces about 2-2.3 kV, and is approximately 500-850 mA.

Characteristics of ILOs

Attention! With these transformers, the primary winding starts at the bottom, while the secondary winding is located at the top. This design provides better insulation for all windings. As a rule, on the "secondary" there is a filament winding from a magnetron (approximately 3.6 Volts). Between two layers of metal, an attentive craftsman may notice a couple of some kind of metal jumpers. These are magnetic shunts. What are they needed for?

The fact is that they close on themselves some part of that magnetic field, which creates a primary winding. This is done to stabilize the field and the current itself on the second winding. If they are not there, then at the slightest short circuit, the entire load goes to the “primary”, and its resistance is very small. Thus, these small details protect the transformer and you, as they prevent many unpleasant consequences. Oddly enough, is it still better to remove them? Why?

Remember that in microwave oven problem with overheating important device solved by installing powerful fans. If you have a transformer in which there are no shunts, then its power and heat dissipation are much higher. For all imported microwave ovens, they are most often thoroughly filled epoxy resin. So why should they be removed? The fact is that in this case, the "drawdown" of the current under load is significantly reduced, which is very important for our purposes. What about overheating? We recommend placing the ILO in

By the way, flat coil Tesla generally dispenses with a ferromagnetic core and a transformer, but still needs a current supply more voltage. Because of this, experiencing something like this at home is strongly discouraged.

Once again about safety

A small addition: the voltage on the secondary winding is such that an electric shock during its breakdown will lead to guaranteed death. Remember that the Tesla coil circuit assumes a current strength of 500-850 A. The maximum value of this value, which still leaves a chance for survival, is ... 10 A. So do not forget about the simplest precautions for a second!

Where and for how much to buy components?

Alas, there is some bad news: firstly, a decent ILO costs at least two thousand rubles. Secondly, it is almost impossible to find it on the shelves even in specialized stores. There is only hope for the collapse and "flea markets", which will have to run a lot in search of what you are looking for.

If possible, be sure to use the IOT from the old Soviet Elektronika microwave oven. It is not as compact as imported counterparts, but it also works in the mode of a conventional transformer. Its industrial designation is TV-11-3-220-50. It has a power of approximately 1.5 kW, produces about 2200 volts at the output, and the current strength is 800 mA. In short, the parameters are very decent even for our time. In addition, it has an additional 12V winding, ideal as a power source for a fan that will cool Tesla's spark plug.

What else should be used?

quality high voltage capacitors from ceramics of the K15U1, K15U2, TGK, KTK, K15-11, K15-14 series. Finding them is difficult, so it's better to have in good friends professional electricians. What about the high pass filter? You will need two coils that can reliably filter high frequencies. Each of them must have at least 140 turns of high-quality copper wire (lacquered).

Some information about sparkler

The spark plug is designed to excite oscillations in the circuit. If it is not in the circuit, then the power will go, but the resonance will not. In addition, the power supply begins to "punch" through the primary winding, which is almost guaranteed to lead to short circuit! If the spark plug is not closed, the high voltage capacitors cannot be charged. As soon as it closes, oscillations begin in the circuit. It is to prevent some problems that they use a throttle. When the spark plug closes, the inductor prevents current leakage from the power supply, and only then, when the circuit is open, accelerated charging of the capacitors begins.

Device characteristic

Finally, we will say a few more words about the Tesla transformer itself: for the primary winding, you are unlikely to be able to find a copper wire of the desired diameter, so it’s easier to use copper tubes from refrigeration equipment. The number of turns is from seven to nine. On the "secondary" you need to wind at least 400 (up to 800) turns. It is impossible to determine the exact amount, so experiments will have to be done. One output is connected to the TOR (lightning emitter), and the second is very (!) Reliably grounded.

What is the emitter made of? Use an ordinary ventilation corrugation for this. Before you make a Tesla coil, the photo of which is here, be sure to think about how to design it more original. Below are some tips.

In conclusion…

Alas, no practical application this spectacular device does not exist to this day. Someone shows experiments in institutes, someone earns on this, arranging parks of “miracles of electricity”. In America, a very wonderful comrade a couple of years ago completely built a Tesla coil ... a Christmas tree!

To make her more beautiful, he applied various substances to the lightning emitter. Keep in mind: boric acid gives green color, manganese makes the Christmas tree blue, and lithium gives it a crimson color. Until now, there are disputes about the true purpose of the invention of a brilliant scientist, but today it is a common attraction.

Here's how to make a Tesla coil.