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This is a very dangerous hand held high voltage generator. I built it from an auto ignition coil, power relay and a broken power drill. I call it a Tesla coil because that is what an ignition coil really is. It's a very convenient short cut to a high voltage spark generator.
You could build it with any power supply from 6 to 12 volts if you do not have a broken drill laying around.
This is a total hardware hack. I know it looks like crap. We were having a party and I wanted a prop that would scare people. I threw it together in about 2 hours. I've spent three times longer documenting the build than I did actually building it.
I have a really well stocked junk collection, so everything that I used to build this was actually laying around the shop before I started building it. The design is very flexible and will work with whatever junk you have.
You could build it with any power supply from 6 to 12 volts if you do not have a broken drill laying around.
This is a total hardware hack. I know it looks like crap. We were having a party and I wanted a prop that would scare people. I threw it together in about 2 hours. I've spent three times longer documenting the build than I did actually building it.
I have a really well stocked junk collection, so everything that I used to build this was actually laying around the shop before I started building it. The design is very flexible and will work with whatever junk you have.
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Signing UpStep 1The power source
I had a broken power drill. The trigger, PWM power control, and the battery were still fine. I removed the reversing switch, as the relay and coil only need one "direction".
I relocated the PWM power transistor to the side of the drill handle, because there was no room for it inside after the top of the handle broke off.
I attached two heavy (16 GA) wires to the power output of the drill speed control.
I relocated the PWM power transistor to the side of the drill handle, because there was no room for it inside after the top of the handle broke off.
I attached two heavy (16 GA) wires to the power output of the drill speed control.
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There are lots of people saying "not a tesla coil" but the way I have this hooked up you have the issues as a big coil. It's not working as a simple transformer, but doing something like the resonant transfer of a air coil. This very high voltage from the ignition coil is coming from the disruptive arc on the primary and the ringing of the primary interacting with the secondary and the "top" mass. I have not seen this kind of voltage buildup with a transistor switched drive.
Like this:
This would make a great 'steampunk' item with a little dressing up! Go for it!
http://hacknmod.com/hack/make-your-own-handheld-portal-gun/
the flame will make the air A LOT more cunductive!
with my 9 KV power supply i get sparcs about 0.5cm when there is a flame nearby I can reach 2-3cm
In the schematic, flip the whole relay-buzzer section horizontally, mirror image, so the relay coil L2 connects to ground, and the SPDT switch pole C1 connects to +DC. (Swap the polarity on the 220uF, of course.) Now the relay should still buzz, but the C2 switch contact is now getting connected to +DC instead of to ground. Next, use the resistor to connect switch contact C2 to the primary coil terminal screw (to the one that's not connected to the case.) That sends pulses of +DC to the primary coil, while the other primary screw gets grounded.
What makes this dangerous is that normally, to be "safe" its recomended that you use an AC to DC power supply 12-24 volts, that isolates the driver circuit from the dangerous mains current. Driver circuits are out there that use such supplies. The mains current from a normal Outlet can produce up to 10 or 15 amps short circuit before the fuse or breaker trips. Thats more than 1,000 times the current of the coil. Meaning you get 1,000 times more current going through your body if you accidently touch something wrong on the input end of the coil, than if you had used a proper isolation power supply and driver circuit.
Instead of saying OUCH!!! You go say hello to your great, great, great, great grand parents at the pearly gates...
A simple computer PSU you might have laying around is good, run the driver circuit, off the 12 volt rail. You will need to know an understanding of electronics, reading schematics and some solid state stuff. Which an ignition coil needs a pulsed DC signal. Though Using a rheostat directly connected to mains might work with junk laying around, its dangerous, and coils like that are not designed to be run off 60HZ AC signals, even if you lower the voltage input. Might be fun for a short life zapper though.
A safer, long lasting ignition coil set up, I would advise using a power supply, isolated from mains, and no more than 24 volts. Much like with flybacks, if you feed too much input, you will burn up the windings inside. And you dont want to just burn up an ignition coil, brand new, they are not cheap. So unless you have a cheap supply of ignition coils, best to use a driver circuit. A set up like I mentioned can be used to make home made plasma globes, small tesla coils, make your own x-rays or electron beams, and ion experiments.
With electricity, its always best to be safe. Dont take shortcuts. If you dont respect electricity, its like playing Russian Roulette. You might get away with it once, twice, maybe 3 times, keep pulling the trigger though, eventually, you will run out of luck, and your numbers will be up.
#Gruber#