Re: Ignition coils as high voltage sources

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Dan Olson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<dan__olson-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> 
> I am in the beginning stages of building a smaller (under 100 watts anyway)
> CO2 laser, and I am having a bear of a time trying to find a neon sign
> transformer to run the thing with.  I have heard of people using an HEI
> ignition coil as a power source for these types of lasers, and being that
> you folks were the high voltage experts, I thought I would ask you how well
> such a thing would work.  The recomended power source for one of these
> lasers is generally a neon sign transformer of about 15,000 volts by 60 mA,
> but I have had no luck coming by one of those.  I do have a GM HEI coil
> though, so I thought if I could get that to work, I would be set.  I have
> seen a couple of Tesla coils built around that coil, so if anyone would have
> a schematic or would be able to help me understand how to wire the thing up,
> I would be really appreciative.  I don't know a whole lot about electronics
> to be honest, although I have tinkered with them for a while now.  I am very
> well aware of the dangers of high voltage, and I will excercise extreme
> caution when playing with this thing, so please don't feel skittish about
> helping me out.  I've done my fair share of high voltage work with oil
> burner transformers, and I have learned how to conduct myself in it's
> presence.  Ideally, I would like to run it either straight from a wall plug
> or else with a 12 volt battery.  I really don't want to have to build or buy
> a power supply if I don't have to.  Thanks a whole lot for any help you can
> provide me.
> 
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	I think you'll be very disappointed if you try this.  The coils can put
out a very few watts at best, and have quite high secondary inductance. 
Great for nice long sparks, but not for a high-power HV supply.

Ed