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Burning Man Coil
I have permission from the author to reprint his comments about the large
Tesla coil that was displayed at the Burning Man ceremonies a couple of months
ago.
"The device was about twelve feet high and six feet in diameter at the top
coils. I received no specifications about output in response to my requests,
as the operators were a little mysterious. The setup was remarkably clean and
simple. This device is a performance just waiting for an audience. We need
an impresario immediately. Any volunteers?"
"The giant Tesla coil was one of the biggest attractions of the event. I
spent several hours in three evenings watching and waiting, but mostly
waiting. The operators used a large portable generator to produce the
electricity, then some kind of capacitors to store enough. When it operated
it made a loud static-like sound (duh) and lit up the sky with the largest
sparks outside of the movies, lightening or a major electrical accident (I
witnessed at a substation as one hundred thousand volts attempted to become
ten thousand) I have ever seen. It would start with some small two or three
foot beauties that danced around the coils on the top. Then it would extend
out ten or twelve feet, finally connecting with the ground. After a while
they would put things on sticks and fry them. It was interesting how the
sparks always "found" anything staked nearby. Perhaps this would make a
excellent manner of public execution, if society would just take a violent
turn backwards. Many thousands often crowed around to watch the spectacle
late into the night."
Reprinted with permission from The Firemaker volume two number four dated
October 1998, issue 8. The publication is a pyrotechnics newsletter owned and
authored by Larry Homan. PO Box 162 Fresno, CA 93707 Subscriptions are $25
per year for four issues.
Ed Sonderman No connection and no relation to Larry Homan