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Re: Science Fair Project
From: Chip Atkinson[SMTP:chip-at-XiG-dot-com]
Reply To: Chip Atkinson
Sent: Friday, November 07, 1997 2:53 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Science Fair Project
Greetings,
It's relatively easy to build a tesla coil. Getting it to work is a
little more difficult. One doesn't have to be an electronics pro, but you
do have to be aware of things that don't happen at lower voltages. For
example, at 12,000 volts you don't even have to touch a wire to get a
shock. If you get close enough the electricity will reach out and touch
_you_. Other things to keep in mind are that the capacitors that you will
need to make and use keep a charge on them that will cause great
discomfort or death. I've never been zapped with a cap, and certainly
never been killed, but I have shocked myself with one end of a 15kV neon,
which was probably 7500 volts. That was the most painful shock that I've
ever gotten.
Anyway, I think you can build a tesla coil. While it's not even necessary
to understand much about what is going on, it will help you troubleshoot
when things go awry. Being 13, your biggest problems will probably be
with money. You'll most likely have to buy the wire for the secondary at
the very least. The rest can probably be scrounged. You may also have
trouble getting neon sign transformers because of sign companies being
afraid of giving/selling a transformer to someone your age. I'd recommend
getting a parent to assist you with the neon sign transformer. The rest
shouldn't be too hard. You can make a capacitor bank with pop/beer
bottles and salt water. Using light bulbs as resistors, you can probably
get away without having a variac as well. From what I've seen and read, a
working tesla coil can be built rather cheaply, depending on the level of
scrounging and improvising you are willing to do.
As for the safety warnings on my website, it isn't intended to scare
people for the purpose of scaring them. It was intended to list as many
of the real dangers that you'll likely encounter during tesla coil work.
It is like driving a car in a sense. There are many dangers that you may
or may not be aware of. When driving a car, you don't just give the
steering wheel a yank when on the freeway going fast. With a tesla coil,
you don't touch the capacitor when it's running or charged. There are
other subtle dangers too. For example, you shouldn't change lanes in an
intersection. Similarly, you should ventilate the place you are working
in. Why? The ozone that accumulates can damage your lungs and poison you
if concentrated enough. The thing is too, that your sense of smell gets
used to the ozone smell and you don't notice it until you are wheezing.
Hope that helps.
Chip
On Thu, 6 Nov 1997, Tesla List wrote:
>
> From: Phalcon362[SMTP:Phalcon362-at-worldnet.att-dot-net]
> Reply To: Phalcon362-at-worldnet.att-dot-net
> Sent: Thursday, November 06, 1997 3:24 PM
> To: Tesla List
> Subject: Science Fair Project
>
> hi peoplez, I'm new to this tesla coil thing...lemme explain my
> situation....
>
> ok, I'm 13 yrs old, and in 8th grade, and we got this science fair project,
> and I'm thinking of making a tesla coil....I dont have much experience in
> this electronic hobby thing, but I looked at a bucha websites when I found
> this....you people think I can make this tesla coil? I mean is it easy
> (not like simple easy, kinda of like a bit fraustrating, but not that hard
> easy) and is it like VERY dangerous or do they [websites] just say that to
> scare people.
>
>
> p.s. I'm not really stupid just FYI, I go to a gifted school for people...
>
> Phalcon362.....
> / /
> / /
> //
> /
> /
> \ / /
> \\\' , / //
> \\\//, _/ //,
> \_-//' / //<,
> \ /// <//`
> / >> \\\`__/_
> /,)-^>> _\` \\\
> (/ \\ //\\
> // _//\\\\
> ((` ((
>
>
>
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Chip Atkinson; Xi Graphics 1801 Broadway, Denver CO 80202
(303)298-7478voice (303)298-1406fax (800)946-7433sales
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