Step by Step Plans to Building a 250,000 Volt Tesla Coil. (REVISED VERSION)

In this Step-By-Step process I will explain

1. How a Spark Gap Tesla Coil works.
2. The parts you will need.
3. The price of each part.
4. Safety.

Step 1: The Parts That You Will Need.

The parts you will need to build a tesla coil:

1. 6500 volt 23 milli amp transformer found at amazing1.com

2. 10,000 volt capacitor found at amazing1.com

3. Spark Gap found at amazing1.com

4. PVC Pipe 5-6 inches wide 3 feet long Found At The Home Depot

5. Copper tubing (refrigerator tubing) 1/4th inch diameter 30 feet found at The Home Depot

6. Toriod Found at Amazing1.com

7. 24-26 AWG magnet wire electronixexpress.com

8. Safety Glasses

9. Drill

10. 1/8 Drill Bit

11. Masking Tape

Step 2: Links for Tesla Coils and Other Supplies.

www.unitednuclear.com
www.teslacoil.com
www.tesladownunder.com
www.pbs.org/tesla/ins/lab_tescoil.html
www.powerlabs.org/coil2.htm
www.mos.org/sln/toe/tesla.html
www.richieburnett.co.uk/tesla.shtml
www.teslasociety.com/teslacoil.htm
www.pupman.com/safety.htm
www.angelfire.com/electronic/cwillis/tesla.html
www.tb3.com/tesla/index.html
www.teslasystems.com/gallery/index.html
www.ttr.com/index.htm
www.old-mage.com/tech/Tesla.htm
www.deepfriedneon.com/tesla_guide.html
www.qsl.net/ke5fx/tesla.html
www.tesla-coil-builder.com/double_cone_bipolar_tesla_coil.htm
www.penguinslab.com/tesla.htm
www.teslacoil.org
www.bizarrelabs.com/ind2.htm
www.tfcbooks.com/mall/more/371tcbg.htm
www.teslamap.com/guide.html
www.tesla-coil-builder.com
www.classictesla.com
www.teslamania.delete.org/frames/coilgallery.html
www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6160/tesla/tesla.html
www.geocities.com/bob_motz/chipid
www.teslacoils4christ.org
www.lod.org
www.members.tripod.com/~mad_coiler/tesla.htm
www.hbci.com/~wenonah/tommy/td.htm

Step 3: Making the Secondary Coil.

Supplies Needed:

1. PVC Pipe
2. 24-26 AWG Magnet Wire
3. Masking Tape
4. Wire Cutters
5. Drill
6. 1/8 Drill Bit
7. Safety Glasses


1. Get your 3 foot long 5-6 inches in diameter PVC pipe.

2. Get your enameled wire

3. Next drill 3 holes in the side of the bottom of the PVC pipe (about 1-2 inches above the bottom and a 1/4 inch along the bottom of the PVC pipe. this will hold the wire that is wrapped around the PVC pipe.
you will have to make these holes about 2 inches below the top of the PVC pipe and 1/4 inch apart make sure that the wire comes out of the end of the PVC pipe.

4. Next insert the wire through one of the end holes that you drilled and weave it through the other 2 holes (make sure that some of the wire comes out of the bottom of the PVC pipe.

5. Next you will have to get some tape: Masking tape, Electrical tape, Vinyl tape, or Packaging tape will work.

6. Next wrap the wire around the PVC pipe making sure that the wire will not overlap or have kinks or bends in it because this will greatly reduce the amount of voltage that your Tesla Coil will produce. also (make sure that the wire is tightly wound and tightly close together when wound.
IF YOU GET TIRED OF WRAPPING THE WIRE YOU WILL USE THE TAPE FOR HOLDING THE WIRE IN PLACE SO IT DOES NOT UNRAVEL.

7. You will have about 1000-3000 wrappings of magnet wire after you are finished.
after you are finished wrapping the PVC pipe with wire. just put that aside but make sure you have thread the wire through the last 3 holes a the top of the PVC pipe. and put tape over both three holes where the wire in located this will hold the wire in place until later.

Step 4: Making the Primary Coil.

next you will need the copper tubing the copper tubing will serve as your primary coil.
you will first have wind about 20 feet of the copper tubing in a helix or in a flat spiral form making sure not to let any of the other coilings touch each other because this will cause a short circuit.

Step 5: Making the Primary Circuit.

Parts you will need:

1. 6,500 Volt Transformer
2. Spark Gap
3. 10,000 Volt Capacitor
4. Three Prong Electrical Cord (Grounded)



You will need to hook up your transformers 2 skinny leads to an electrical cord with 3 prongs and you will have to hook up your transformers 1 input lead to the electrical cord and do the same with the other input lead. Then hookup the capacitors 1 lead to the output lead of the transformer and do the same thing to the other lead of the capacitor. Then hookup one of the leads of the capacitor to the spark gap. Hookup the spark gap to the outer ring end of the primary coil. Hook up the other end of the primary coil to the other end of the spark gap.

Step 6: Making the Secondary Circuit.

Find the Ground lead to the 3 prong cord it is usually green or it is bare. Then hook it up to the lead hanging out of the bottom of the secondary coil then solder it and put electrical tape over it to avoid short circuiting. And do the same to the other bare input leads of the transformer. Now secure the secondary coil to the top base of the Tesla Coil.

Step 7: Adding the Toriod or Topload

Parts you will need:

1. Toroid
2. Secondary Coil


The Toroid is the top load of the Tesla Coil it is where the arcs form.
To connect the Toroid to the Tesla Coil just put the wire that is hanging from the top of the Tesla Coil in the Toroid by either soldering, brazing, or with a screw.
Then fasten the Toroid to the Secondary Coil

You are finished with your new companion.

Step 8: !!!WARNING!!!

!!!WARNING!!!

!!!WARNING THIS TESLA COIL AND ALL OTHER TESLA COILS CAN AND WILL INTERFERE OR DAMAGE PACEMAKERS, COMPUTERS, AND OTHER ELECTRONICS.!!!
!!!DO NOT TOUCH THE COPPER TUBING (PRIMARY COIL) OR THE (SPARK GAP) WHILE THE TESLA COIL IS IN OPERATION IT WILL KILL YOU INSTANTLY THERE IS NO SECOND CHANCE!!!
TESLA COILS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE TREATED WITH THE MOST CARE AND RESPECT: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW HIGH VOLTAGE AND ELECTRICITY WORKS DO NOT BUILD THIS PROJECT UNTIL YOU HAVE EITHER READ UP ON ELECTRICITY OR GET EXTENSIVE TRAINING. ALSO DO NOT LOOK INTO THE SPARK GAP WITHOUT WELDERS GOGGLES. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO OPERATE THIS TESLA COIL WITHOUT SAFTEY GLASSES. BUT MOST OF ALL ELECTRICITY AND MIND ALTERING DRUGS INCLUDING ALCOHOL DO NOT MIX!!!


IF IN DOUBT E-MAIL ME AT [e-mail] I CAN GIVE YOU VERY USEFUL INFORMATION.

DISCLAIMER:
I WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY IN ANY DAMAGE OR FATALITIES THAT THIS PROJECT MAY CAUSE.

Step 9: Contacting Me

If there is, any questions or problems with this project email me at [e-mail]

Step 10: Price List

1. 6,500 Volt Transformer $59.95
2. 10,000 Volt Capacitor $59.95
3. Spark Gap with cooling fan $59.95
4. 24-26 AWG Magnet Wire $15.50
5. PVC Pipe $20.00
6. TORIOD $59.95
7. Copper Tubing $30.00

GRAND TOTAL.............................. $305.30

Step 11: How a Spark Gap Tesla Coil Works.

The Tesla Coil is an air core resonant transformer consisting of a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil is the part of the device that resonates or vibrates which when vibrating gives of a very strong magnetic field that causes induction in the secondary coil. The magnetic field is caused by, first the power from the 120 volt wall outlet is converted into 6,500 volts by the transformer then the power flows into the capacitor where it gets amplified then moves along to the spark gap. The spark gap acts like a switch, without the spark gap the coil will not function it will just burn up your transformer; next the power goes to the primary coil and causes induction in the secondary coil thus causes lightning or arcs to be transmitted out of the toroid or topload.