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A project log for Tesla Coil - Scientific way

There are a lot of information about Tesla coils, but still it's tricky to build/tune one. Here we would like to go over and explain ...

100dollarhacker100dollarhacker 06/07/2023 at 19:410 Comments

This project started two years ago. If you search on youtube for 'plasma flame' you will get a video that explains how to create it. Those videos are so AMAZING. I wanted to do one myself.

And boy it seems so easy... one mosfet, two coils (you can make them yourself) two capacitors, zener diode and few resisters.

Build the circuit, plugged in 24v power supply and nothing at least no plasma flame and no electro-magnetic energy that could light neon light. 

So I went to Danny. Danny know everything about electronics, (he built his first transformer from wires when he was kid, now when he is about 80 with long resume including long list of government secret projects), he was the right guy to solve it in a glance.  Next day I asked him for help showing him the schematic and what I've build. It's seems ok, check if there are fluctuation on the power supply he said. 

Next evening I've checked for fluctuations on power supply, nope it's not it.

"What can it be?" I've asked Danny the next day. Danny went to a drawer and gave me some device. "What is it" I've asked? You can measure your coils and capacitors values with that.

Next evening I tested all components, the main capacitor what should withstand 2kV was shown as resistor. WHAT?! 

I found out the hard way that not all capacitors are equal. I've used some unbranded Chinese  capacitors.

Well that's a start I found some better capacitor, fiddled with coils and ... 

I got 200v oscillation, impressive but far from 2Kv I've expected. I had no clue how to continue.

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