Introduction: Wireless Energy - Tesla Coil Kit

By Visit Eastern Voltage Research
About: My name is Allison and I am an engineer co-op student working for Eastern Voltage Research creating fun and exciting educational kits for students and amateurs.



*The kit purchasing info can be found here:http://www.easternvoltageresearch.com/audio_wireless.html

Wireless energy transfer has always fascinating me and I decided to create a very simple kit to demonstrate that principle.  Wireless energy transfer is nothing new - its been around since the time Nikola Tesla proposed and invented it nearly a century ago.  This kit uses the exact same principles Tesla himself invented.  It basically  uses a source high frequency Tesla Coil and an identical high frequency Tesla Coil placed nearby to couple and capture the energy being emitted by the powered Tesla Coil.

This particular design is tailored towards my 4MHz Class-E audio modulated Tesla Coil, but the circuit can be used with any similar Tesla coil, no matter the operating frequency.  Yes, you can always show this principle using a fluorescent light bulb, but I happen to like LEDs, so decided to create a small circuit to power LEDs wirelessly from a distance.

The circuit is very simple and can be built in a very short time with minimal parts.

Our Wireless Energy Demonstration Kit is one of most popular new kits of 2012. It is designed specifically for use with our Class-E line of Plasma Speakers and demonstrates the principles of wireless energy transfer. The receiver resonator is fitted with a specially designed circuit which is capable of the ultra-high speed rectification required to convert the 4Mhz electric field generated by the Class-E Audio Modulator into useable electrical power which powers and illuminates ten (10) onboard white LEDs. Moving the receiver resonator closer or farther away will brighten and dim the LEDs respectively. Tested range of operation shows the LEDs can be illuminated almost 6 feet away from the transmitting coil. Use multiple receiver resonators for added effect. Perfect for the classroom demonstration, or just showing your friends.

Step 1: Features

Here are some of the features of this Wireless Energy Demonstration Kit
  • Uses high voltage, high speed schottky diodes for rectification.  (Operates with coils up to 5MHz+)
  • (12) Ultrabright LEDs
  • Overvoltage Protection
  • Maximum range for this particular design (using Class-E Audio Modulator) is about 6 feet

Step 2: Technical Information

The principle of operation is very simple.  The Class-E Audio Modulator coil, which operates at 4MHz, creates an electromagnetic field around the coil.  A second identical coil is created and tuned to resonate at the identical frequency of 4MHz, is placed in the vicinity of the first powered coil and its energy is coupled into the second coil.  The resulting energy is then fed, via the primary coil, into the circuit board where it is full bridge rectified, filtered, and then used to power the (12) LEDs on the board.  Moving the second coil closer or farther away from the energized first coil, will make the LEDs get brigher or dimmer, respectively.

Circuit

L101 and L102 form the primary and secondary coil of the Tesla Resonator.  The Tesla coil is designed so that it resonates at exactly 4MHz which so happens to be the frequency that the Class-E Audio Modulator operates at.  Voltage is induced on the primary coil and is then fed into a bridge rectifier circuit comprised of CR1, CR2, CR3, and CR4 which are high speed schottky diodes rated at 150V, 1A.  The rectified voltage is then filtered by a 1uF capacitor, C1 which provides an approx. DC voltage (albeit with plenty of ripple) to power the two strings of (6) LEDs.  R1 and R2 are 6.2k, 2W resistors which provided current limiting for the LED strings.  VR1 is a 100V transient voltage suppressor designed to prevent overvoltage spikes from damaging the full-bridge schottky diodes.

This circuit can be used for any coil operating up to at least 5MHz.  To use for  your particular Tesla Coil, just build an identical Tesla Coil and connect this circuit board directly to the primary coil.  You could probably also design your Tesla Coil to resonate at the different harmonics of the primary resonant frequency of the main coil.

Parts List
  • (2) Resistors, 6.2k, 2W (R1, R2)
  • (1) Capacitor, 1uF, 100V (C1)
  • (4) Diodes, Schottky, 150V, 1A (CR1-CR4)
  • (12) LEDs, White (D1-D12)
  • (1) 100V Transient Voltage Suppressor (VR1)

Attachments

Step 3: Assembly

Assembly is very simple and straightforward.  Simply insert parts into PCB board and solder away.  Be sure the LEDs and diodes are installed with the proper polarity.

The complete manual and assembly guide is shown here as a PDF document.  It includes full instructions as well as the dimensions for the 4MHz resonating coil.

Attachments

Step 4: Performance

The wireless demonstration kit works extremely well.  For the particular system being used, the Class-E Audio Modulator, the working range is approx. 6 feet which is quite impressive for demonstration use, particular in schools and for science fairs.



Our Class-E Audio Modulated Tesla Coil kit is shown below.  Note, that all the sound you hear is coming directly from the high voltage arc.  There are no speakers being used!

Step 5: PCB and Kit

This circuit can be easily built on a breadboard or if your handy, you can also etch your own.

The 4MHz coil shown here works specifically with my Class-E Audio Modulator kit, but the circuit will work with any Tesla coil, resonant to at least 5MHz.

Complete Kit and details here:  http://www.easternvoltageresearch.com/audio_wireless.html

We also offer our Audio Modulated Class-E Coil as a complete kit.
Details about this kit can be found here:  http://www.easternvoltageresearch.com/audio_classe.html

Enjoy and good luck with your project!