Re: Information Unlimited Tesla Coil

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Information Unlimited Tesla Coil
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 23:32:16 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Rick Holland[SMTP:rickh-at-ghg-dot-net]
Reply To: 	rickh-at-ghg-dot-net
Sent: 	Sunday, November 23, 1997 4:00 PM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: Information Unlimited Tesla Coil

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> From:   deepfrezz-at-juno-dot-com[SMTP:deepfrezz-at-juno-dot-com]
> Sent:   Saturday, November 22, 1997 11:18 PM
> To:     tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:        Information Unlimited Tesla Coil
> 
> I was wondering if any of you ever tried the BTC3(I think) kit from
> Information Unlimited?  I heard that it produces good results.  I plan on
> making one from scratch, once I see how its done since I can't get any
> solid info.
> 
> Also is a tv flyback AC or DC and if DC can I just rewind the primary to
> get a nice spark and RF field(to light fluorescent lights).
> Robert

Robert,

I have heard some disparaging remarks about Information Unlimited's
coils. While I have no personal experience with them, I would recommend
purchasing the plans only (since they're much cheaper) and modify them
with the info you get from the list.

A TV flyback could concievably be called a DC transformer, but that is
just skirting the question. A transformer must have a changing magnetic
field to work. You can pulse a transformer with a DC square wave (such
as the 555 circuit described in another topic on the list) but it will
be much more effecient with a true AC waveform. You cannot feed 12V DC
into a transformer and get anything out of the secondary unless you turn
the voltage on and off. It is the forming and collapsing of the
primary's magnetic field that causes the secondary to "generate" a
voltage.

As far as the RF field, RF means radio frequency, which means a changing
voltage. DC frequency = zero. Frequency is how often the voltage changes
from one state to another. I have read of persons using a flyback's self
capacitance (from one wire lying next to another) to resonate with the
flyback's inductance, but that means that it must be excited by an exact
frequency. This can be difficult for a novice,and the frequency changes
with each transformer. I would recommend using the ignition coil circuit
described in another topic to stimulate a small Tesla Coil for lighting
effects.
-- 

	Rick Holland

	The Answer is 42.