tesla coil need help

[Yuchen Luo]

I am trying to build a simple tesla coil. I am powering it with AC straight
out of the wall.. I am having a bit of difficulty locating a transfomer
that will step up the voltage from to wall at about a 1:10 ratio (although
any ratio in this direction would be good). I was wonderign if anyone knows
where I could obtain such a part at a reasonable cost.

Thanks for any help
Yuchen

 

[Richard Crowley]

"Yuchen Luo" wrote ...

I am trying to build a simple tesla coil. I am powering it with AC
straight
out of the wall.. I am having a bit of difficulty locating a transfomer
that will step up the voltage from to wall at about a 1:10 ratio (although
any ratio in this direction would be good). I was wonderign if anyone
knows
where I could obtain such a part at a reasonable cost.

Don't Tesla coils, by definition, run at HF (KHz-MHz), not mains freq
(50-60z)?
Isn't that how they get away with those big air-core coils?

If you want a 10:1 step-up power transformer, it doesn't seem
likely to be a Tesla air-core design.

 

[Mark Fergerson]

Richard Crowley wrote:

"Yuchen Luo" wrote ...

I am trying to build a simple tesla coil. I am powering it with AC
straight
out of the wall.. I am having a bit of difficulty locating a transfomer
that will step up the voltage from to wall at about a 1:10 ratio (although
any ratio in this direction would be good). I was wonderign if anyone
knows
where I could obtain such a part at a reasonable cost.

What's your idea of "reasonable"?

Don't Tesla coils, by definition, run at HF (KHz-MHz), not mains freq
(50-60z)?

Yes and no; a TC is two coupled HF LC tanks, but you
"ring" the primary circuit with one or both peaks of 60 Hz
by letting it arc through an airgap, which is why you need
to step up the line voltage, for a more controllable arc.

Try a neon sign transformer, or (modified) microwave oven
transformer. There are websites, indeed entire webrings with
scads of information. Start with pupman.com.

Isn't that how they get away with those big air-core coils?

Yup.

If you want a 10:1 step-up power transformer, it doesn't seem
likely to be a Tesla air-core design.

Believe it or not, the voltage transformation ratio of a
TC is primarily determined by the ratio of secondary tank
capacitance to primary tank capacitance.

Mark L. Fergerson

 

[Chuck Olson]

"Yuchen Luo" <yuchen.luo@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:7Alkb.12097$cT6.662529@news20.bellglobal.com...

I am trying to build a simple tesla coil. I am powering it with AC straight
out of the wall.. I am having a bit of difficulty locating a transfomer
that will step up the voltage from to wall at about a 1:10 ratio (although
any ratio in this direction would be good). I was wonderign if anyone knows
where I could obtain such a part at a reasonable cost.

Thanks for any help
Yuchen

An old time vacuum-tube power transformer made for low power transmitting might have a secondary
that's 1200 volts center-tapped and handle 200 milliamperes. Try a ham radio discussion group.
Someone should definitely have an old one hanging around. I presume you're thinking of running
some kind of high power oscillator to get the high frequency that Tesla Coils run at.

Just for the fun of it, there's also neon-sign transformers. But that stuff will kill you.

Chuck

 

[John Todd]

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 21:14:14 -0400, Yuchen Luo <yuchen.luo@sympatico.ca> wrote:

I am trying to build a simple tesla coil. I am powering it with AC straight
out of the wall.. I am having a bit of difficulty locating a transfomer
that will step up the voltage from to wall at about a 1:10 ratio (although
any ratio in this direction would be good). I was wonderign if anyone knows
where I could obtain such a part at a reasonable cost.

Thanks for any help
Yuchen

If I needed a power transformer with a ~1000V secondary, I would
get in touch with the local Ham radio club.



--
_______________________________________
John E. Todd <> jtodd@island.net

Note: Ensure correct polarity prior to connection.