Thread: Tesla Coil

I am about to order the parts to a tesla coil which I designed. If anyone could confirm the compatibility with this design or tell me compatibility errors, please reply. The one thing I am concerned with is the toroid, which looks quite large for the build, but matches the optimum capacitance of 19 pf (determined by TeslaMap). Does the size of the toroid really matter that much? Anyway here are the parts:

Secondary Coil
4.4" PVC Pipe 2'
24 AWG Magnet Wire (1,120 ft = 972 turns)
Toroid 18" x 4.5"

Primary Coil
1/4" Copper Tubing 38.4' (10 turns)
1/2" Copper tubing 10' (strike rail)

Base
15 KVA 60mA Transformer
2 Brass Electrodes
36 Capacitors (.15uf at 2 kV each) (16.7nf capacitance) (36kV Voltage) (2 strings of 18)
2 Brass Bolt
4 Caster Wheels

That transformer can kill you. Easily.

Unless you have extensive EE experience already, a Tesla coil is extremely dangerous project. And if you have extensive EE experience, you should know that transformer could kill you. Don't do it.

Edit: just realized this is 2 months old. Well, I hope someone else told him that a 60mA transformer is a terrible idea.

Originally Posted by ajarjour

Well, I hope someone else told him that a 60mA transformer is a terrible idea.

Well, it's been 2 months; I'm guessing not. :S