Tesla Coil
Can somebody explain what is a tesla coil, what does it do, and how does it work?
Don't try to build one unless you have someone who can practice CPR nearby.
Tesla sure had an interesting mind. Way underated, even Edison 'borrowed' many of his ideas. Has anyone here seen The Philidalphia Experiment? (the documentery about the event was better, actual photos too.) That was one of his experiments ( gone wrong...)
I have read it in wikipedia, but i'd like if someone would explain it more simple.
Has anyone of you ever made one?
Has anyone of you ever made one?
I haven't but do you have any intention of doing so yourself? 
I made a small one, but it suffered catastrophic failure after a few minutes of operation. What happened is that one of the coils had slight imperfections in the wire coating, only visible after they had melted.
It would probably be a *very* good idea to take a second year ElectroMangnistism class at a university before you even thing about attempting it. It'll help give you an idea of *exactly* what your creating.
Do *NOT*, I repeat, do NOT build this anywhwere close anything else electronic, or metalic. In other words, find several 50' extension corders, and get into the middle of a field. Otherwise, you might have to buy a bunch of new TV's, computers, radios, microwaves and car electronic subsystems for your neighborhood. Now, the chances of an EMP burst actually occuring are vanishingly small if you know what your doing, but, well, you don't know what your doing, that's why your asking. I'm okay with the asking and all that, it's great to learn. But truely think if you need to build one. Sure, they look like great fun, but so do guns when you first learn about them.
It would probably be a *very* good idea to take a second year ElectroMangnistism class at a university before you even thing about attempting it. It'll help give you an idea of *exactly* what your creating.
Do *NOT*, I repeat, do NOT build this anywhwere close anything else electronic, or metalic. In other words, find several 50' extension corders, and get into the middle of a field. Otherwise, you might have to buy a bunch of new TV's, computers, radios, microwaves and car electronic subsystems for your neighborhood. Now, the chances of an EMP burst actually occuring are vanishingly small if you know what your doing, but, well, you don't know what your doing, that's why your asking. I'm okay with the asking and all that, it's great to learn. But truely think if you need to build one. Sure, they look like great fun, but so do guns when you first learn about them.
At the Griffith Observatory in my old home of Los Angeles they had a functioning Tesla Coil that would shoot bolts of lightning. They held a demonstration each hour. I saw it multiple times.
,
The Vault Dweller
,The Vault Dweller
Well I don't have plans in making one- that's for sure.I'm just being curious.
The only thing i could do is write a project about it for physics class.
But i have a question.
If you say get to the middle of a field so you won't hit anything metallicor electric. So if there's nothing to hit - It would hit the first thing in the way- you
The only thing i could do is write a project about it for physics class.
But i have a question.
If you say get to the middle of a field so you won't hit anything metallicor electric. So if there's nothing to hit - It would hit the first thing in the way- you
The tesla coil can spark onto its base, and if you complete the circut allowing it to do so, you will die. A spark from the top part, while nasty, might leave you alive, albiet with an interesting burn pattern on your skin, if you are lucky.
The probability follows an inverse power relationship w/ respect to distance, so if your about 5m away, the probability of getting voided are fairly small. A nice grounding source, like several metal posts driven into the ground a small distance away from the coil arn't a bad idea either.
The probability follows an inverse power relationship w/ respect to distance, so if your about 5m away, the probability of getting voided are fairly small. A nice grounding source, like several metal posts driven into the ground a small distance away from the coil arn't a bad idea either.
You are being sooooo cheering there. 
I think a funeral will be coming up soon...
I think a funeral will be coming up soon...I got voted most likely to die in a horrible explosion. I'm just trying to put it off, that's all.
