Tesla Coil Build Thread

[Flaminpyro]

I looked but could not find a post by me like this here so if there is one I apologize for posting this twice.

I have for sale some Tungsten 1/4" diameter rod which is used mostly on the larger size coils that employ a rotary
type spark gap and a pole pig, not sure if this material is useful on smaller coils but it's here if any one needs it.

it is $3.75 per inch and you can get in in any length you want up to 18"



I thought this was a cool video about a pole pig>

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Nice work on the tesla coil!
I will hold my breath to see what performance gains
You get from doing those mods.
I hope your neon isn't the problem.
Is your neon a npfc or Pfc kind?
What's it's VA rating?

 

[DashApple]

Nice work speedy : ) ,

Just changed the interrupter on my mini SSTC , lowered the on time ( thinner arcs ) , but currently the PLL driver seems to not follow resonance properly , But with it maunaly tuned at full power with 5 turn primary im getting 8" arcs from the 2.8" secondary .

Next , removed more primary turns xD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ5zn99D76Y

 

[Speedy78]

Got up to about 16" streamers now. Would have taken a video but it was too dark by then. Also was going by ear and sight again because it was soaking wet outside and I didn't want the laptop on the ground. Rain picked up and I decided high voltage and rain is never good lol.

Can I leave my gap setting alone and shoot for tuning then fix the gap? Is there a process for adjusting these two parameters that makes it easier? Seems like if I change one it screws with the other.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Got up to about 16" streamers now. Would have taken a video but it was too dark by then. Also was going by ear and sight again because it was soaking wet outside and I didn't want the laptop on the ground. Rain picked up and I decided high voltage and rain is never good lol.

Can I leave my gap setting alone and shoot for tuning then fix the gap? Is there a process for adjusting these two parameters that makes it easier? Seems like if I change one it screws with the other.

No, not really. If your gap sounds better and it's not popping... then leave it and your work is to adjust the tuning of the primary. mark off the place that you got 16" sparks and give it more turns ..say 1/2 a turn. If you get smaller sparks..going up go back to your sweet spot and go 1/2 turn back. Always start at the sweet spot and work from there.

After you get everything tuned properly then try a larger toriod.
anyways... sounds like you got better results.

 

[Sigurthr]

Yep, set the gap by ear and then work on tuning. I never liked the half turn increments though, I noticed a huge change with only about 1/8" of a turn incrementation. When fine tuning I was moving a matter of centimeters.

I still think you need to swap in the 7.5/30 to verify that the 15/30 is any good though.

 

[Speedy78]

At it again. Tried the big toroid again on a 6 inch rod.. Resonant frequency is now up at 161. Yay! But racing arcs and no output despite being close to in tune? No idea there. May need to go to a pancake style primary to get it away from the toroid so I can sit it right next to the secondary again.

Back to the dryer ducting toroid. Got very brief strikes to 16" on camera. Wind was working against the coil. Also using a breakout. Streamers remained less than 8" without the breakout. Not visible on camera is the massive amount of corona on the strike rod. Another odd thing is my scope output. Only time it looks "normal" is with the big toroid. Except the gap never quenches until like the 12 notch lol. With this toroid my 0V rises? I guess thats how you would explain it. These two pictures dont do some of the graphs justice but it shows what I'm talking about.

Red line i added but it shows how everything shifted positive. While the secondary is ringing the graph slowly returns back to the normal 0V line.




16 inches to ground as tuned as I can get it. Gap set slightly larger than it should be. When it sounds better output drops significantly. Any larger and it drops as well.

12 inches to ground. Super short for some bright strikes.

ANND this one is for Sigurthr and S_l. 7.5/30 ghetto rigged. 17" to ground and sounding a hell of a lot better. I guess the 12/30 will be a sweet Jacob's Ladder. But now i need a new power source because this coil is way to large for such a small input. Doesnt look right without massive lightning.

Well, where do I go from here? Took me months to get the first NST and I doubt I will track down another.

Speedy

 

[Sigurthr]

ANND this one is for Sigurthr and S_l. 7.5/30 ghetto rigged. 17" to ground and sounding a hell of a lot better. I guess the 12/30 will be a sweet Jacob's Ladder. But now i need a new power source because this coil is way to large for such a small input. Doesnt look right without massive lightning.

Well, where do I go from here? Took me months to get the first NST and I doubt I will track down another.

Speedy

Hah! I knew it!

17" is close to the theoretical maximum for that lil NST.

Here's how you proceed: Tune the coil with the 7.5/30. Mark it off well on the primary. Begin working on the MOT bank power supply. Sell the big NST on eBay as condition unknown or make a Jacobs ladder with it.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Indeed. You've got it maxxed out.
Now you need more current.

a MOT bank is calling you! :san:

 

[Flaminpyro]

OK OK quit playing around with the tiny transformers, go out and get a pole pig and lets see some BIG LONG sparks

something like this>

At it again. Tried the big toroid again on a 6 inch rod.. Resonant frequency is now up at 161. Yay! But racing arcs and no output despite being close to in tune? No idea there. May need to go to a pancake style primary to get it away from the toroid so I can sit it right next to the secondary again.

Back to the dryer ducting toroid. Got very brief strikes to 16" on camera. Wind was working against the coil. Also using a breakout. Streamers remained less than 8" without the breakout. Not visible on camera is the massive amount of corona on the strike rod. Another odd thing is my scope output. Only time it looks "normal" is with the big toroid. Except the gap never quenches until like the 12 notch lol. With this toroid my 0V rises? I guess thats how you would explain it. These two pictures dont do some of the graphs justice but it shows what I'm talking about.

Red line i added but it shows how everything shifted positive. While the secondary is ringing the graph slowly returns back to the normal 0V line.


16 inches to ground as tuned as I can get it. Gap set slightly larger than it should be. When it sounds better output drops significantly. Any larger and it drops as well.

12 inches to ground. Super short for some bright strikes.

ANND this one is for Sigurthr and S_l. 7.5/30 ghetto rigged. 17" to ground and sounding a hell of a lot better. I guess the 12/30 will be a sweet Jacob's Ladder. But now i need a new power source because this coil is way to large for such a small input. Doesnt look right without massive lightning.


Well, where do I go from here? Took me months to get the first NST and I doubt I will track down another.

Speedy

 

[Seoul_lasers]

OK OK quit playing around with the tiny transformers, go out and get a pole pig and lets see some BIG LONG sparks

something like this>

A truck and a small crane/hoist to get that home.

:drool:

What a catch!!

I have 2 hi-bute 14.4Kv Potentials in Canada in my Garage.. 60Kg a piece.
What's that weigh +500lbs?

 

[DashApple]

Id love a 5kVa one of them transformers , but in the UK they are impossible to get and a custom (10Kva) 10Kv @ 1A transformer is £2200 + Vat ...... :/

For now 3.6Vac @ 1000 Amps will have to do : P

 

[Sigurthr]

I wouldn't be able to use one here, heh. We draw more than 25amps and the line voltage starts dropping fast. Our nominal 120 is usually 114v when there's a 10A draw on the line. My lights start dropping out around 112v, lol. I'd probably brown out the region with a pole pig.

 

[DashApple]

I wouldn't be able to use one here, heh. We draw more than 25amps and the line voltage starts dropping fast. Our nominal 120 is usually 114v when there's a 10A draw on the line. My lights start dropping out around 112v, lol. I'd probably brown out the region with a pole pig.

Fun : P , My sockets sit at 245Vac most times , I've pulled 30A on my 3.6Vac transformer and it doesn't drop by much .

 

[Flaminpyro]

Wow sorry to hear that maybe there is something wrong in your area, or maybe you are at the end of the power transmission line ?

It almost sounds like the drop to your house may be too small of gauge of wire, you should have the power company come check your situation out !

I'm out in the country and our voltage is usually around 119 volts but in the evening I have seen it drop to 114 volts, when every ones cooking or taking showers.

I wouldn't be able to use one here, heh. We draw more than 25amps and the line voltage starts dropping fast. Our nominal 120 is usually 114v when there's a 10A draw on the line. My lights start dropping out around 112v, lol. I'd probably brown out the region with a pole pig.

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

OK OK quit playing around with the tiny transformers, go out and get a pole pig and lets see some BIG LONG sparks

something like this>

I like the dolly. It looks like the cart I made for my welder.

I wouldn't be able to use one here, heh. We draw more than 25amps and the line voltage starts dropping fast. Our nominal 120 is usually 114v when there's a 10A draw on the line. My lights start dropping out around 112v, lol. I'd probably brown out the region with a pole pig.

That doesn't seem right. Where you're at there should be a dedicated transformer on the
pole just for you and it should be fairly close to the house. I have seen the crimp
connectors on the service entrance go bad. One time during a really hot summer I
remember seeing someone's overhead wires actually catch fire where they were crimped
near the weather head. The lineman installed a new crimp terminal and everything was
lovely once again. Wonderful