5 Minute Tesla Coil in Operation Note arc between paper clip electrodes

My 11th grade science project was due in less than 3 weeks. At the time, I was driving a 10 year old Buick that was mostly held together with a tape, wire & a prayer. Now, I knew from checking the ignition and spark plug wires that 25,000 volts was being produced by the ignition coil in order to fire the spark plugs. I studied the wiring and how the spark was being distributed to each spark plug and began to wonder if this could be transformed into a winning science project.

Hmmmmmmm - Intriguing!!!!!

After I read the specifications on hot much current the ignition coil required, the on-off nature of the impulse, I devised a plan and power supply that would duplicate the operating conditions of the coil. I rigged up some electrodes and got a fascinating display of 25,000 volts continuously arcing through the air.

Now, I've got a science project that would complete blow them away. No bean sprout or food dye and surface tension experiment, this science project was par excellence.

These projects are not only for students science projects, but for teachers, professors or any person with an inquiring and scientific mind.

All you need is a trip to the auto parts store for the coil and condenser and some wire and household items and about 5 minutes to wire this up. Only uses 5 wires to connect. No soldering or teenie semi conductors, just screw and nut connections.

Uses a knife edge and a serrated edge to produce the necessary ocillating current for the coil.

Some Interesting Links:
• Classic Tesla Coil Design
• Inside the Tesla Lab
• Wikipedia Tesla Coil
• S.C. Institute for Partical Physics

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Copyright 2008