Wireless Energy:
The Future of
Electricity
Abstract
The objective: For this science experiment,
i built a Tesla coil and proceeded to
experiment with different uses including
wireless electricity, spark gaps, energy
transmission and other high voltage
experiments
The Tesla Coil is an air-core resonant
transformer. It was made by the great
inventor Nikola Tesla in order to create hifh-
voltage, low current, high frequency,
alternating current electricity. Tesla also
experimented with different configurations
in order to find out if he could use it to
wirelessly transmit electricty as a
replacement to the alternating current
power system he had just set up to provide
power to the ordinary citizens of the world.
Tesla was, in my opinion, the greatest mind
of history, and if yoou are interested in
learning more about the man who
essentially created the modern world as we
know it, read my section on his life and
works.
Purpose
I decided to try and build a Tesla Coil by
myself and try to see if I could use it to
actually transmit electricity wirelessly as
claimed by Tesla. I also wanted to see what
kind of range I could achieve with a small,
table-top Tesla Coil. And finally, I wanted to
discover if a Tesla Coil is a practical way to
replace wires in your home.
Hypothesis
Going into this project, I knew it was
already very dangerous. The simple
presence of such high voltage made it a
dangerous feat, one which is not helped by
the fact that the corona discharge ( the
lightning ) is also extremely dangerous and
must only be used in areas with no dangers
of fire. Also the Coil could fry nearby
electronics with ease. For a full list of
dangers posed by this device, see the
construction section. That is why I do not
think that I will ever use this in a home
setting, but I still believe that the coil will be
able to light up a fluorescent bulb from a
distance of at least 12 inches.
Materials
This project requires a lot of materials, and
you should spend at least a day or two
researching each part before you begin any
construction. Also, you would have to buy
wuite a few of the things online because
they are not available in physical stores.
• A high voltage source. I used a Neon Sign
Transformer rated at 7,500 Volts and 30
mA.This amount of electricity is extremely
LETHAL. Direct contact without High
Voltage Gloves will be deadly.
• A secondary coil. I used a and a half inch
diameter PVC pipe with about 750 turns of
26-Gauge Magnet Wire.
• A primary coil. I used 1/4 inch copper
tubing and wound it into a spiral shape.
• A spark gap. I used two copper fittings
placed in close proximity inside a T-shape
PVC fitting.
• A series of capacitor. I used both home-
made ones with glass bottles, and store-
bought ceramic doorknob capacitors.
• High-Voltage Wire
• A top load. I used a door-knob made of
brass with the base removed.
• High-Voltage safety gloves.
• Someone with experience working with
high voltages, because anything above 100
VOlts can be deadly, even at such low
currents.
Construction
To begin the construction of my Tesla coil, I
had to spend a few weeks researching and
collecting parts.
For the actual construction, I started by
winding my copper tubing into a spiral
pattern. This is my primary coil.I then made
my secondary coil. This was a painstakingly
long process which involved carefully
winding the extremely thin wire around the
diameter of the tube. This part must be
executed extremely precisely. You cannot
overlap any of the wires and you can not
leave even the smallest of gaps. This
process can take up to 2 or 3 hours,
depending on how many mistakes you
make.
Next comes the construction of the spark
gap and the assembly of the capacitors.
Now, you take your two conductors and put
them in close proximity to each other, and
wire them according to the schematic.
Assemble the capacitor(s) in series ( if
required ) and wire it up in the circuit.
Connect the NST to the spark gap and
capacitors and attach the output from the
capacitors to the primary coil. Then connect
the final part of the wire on the secondary to
the top load. You DO NOT connect the
secondary coil to the primary coil.
For operation, simply turn on the NST.
WHat happens is that the current travels
throught the NST into the capacitors with
the spark gap acting as a kind of switch,
allowing energy to pass through the setup
into the capacitors and charge them up.
The spark gap and capacitors may not
seem important, but without them the whole
system would not work. Capacitors store
charge for much higher amounts of
voltages than the NST itself can provide,
and the spark gap acts as a kind fo switch.
The current goes to the capacitors and
when they discharge, a huge pulse of
current hits the primary coil. THe amount of
times this happens per second is very high.
When the current enters the copper primary
coil, it creates an electro-magnetic field
which causes a voltage to appear in the
magnet wire on the secondary. This is
where the name air-core resonant
transformer comes from. THe core of this
transformer is air rather than the iron ones
found in traditional transformers. The
current gathers at the top in the topload,
where it gathers and is released as a
corona discharge. In this process, another
electric field is made which gives off
enough energy to light a fluorescent tube or
lightbulb.
Procedure
If you have not guessed by now, the Tesla
Coil is an extremely dangerous machine. It
should not be built or operated unless you
have experience with, or are with a person
with, high voltages. TO show you just how
dangerous this project is, here is a list of
safety concerns that we are aware of at the
moment:
• Tesla coils use high voltages, and the risk
of death or injury is significant. The
following general guidelines are suggested:
• Never adjust tesla coils when the power is
turned on.
• High voltage capacitors may hold a
charge long after power is turned off.
Always discharge capacitors before
adjusting a primary circuit.
• Make sure the metal cases of
transformers, motors, control panels and
other items associated with tesla coils are
properly grounded.
• Make sure that you are far enough away
from the corona discharge so that it cannot
strike you. Do not come in contact with
metal objects which might be subject to a
strike from the secondary.
• The low voltage primary circuit is
extremely dangerous! These voltages are
especially lethal to humans. Make sure
these circuits are well insulated so users
cannot come in contact with the A.C. line
voltage.
• A safety key should be used in the low
voltage circuit to prevent unauthorized use.
• Use adequate fusing of the primary power
and/or circuit breakers to limit the maximum
current to your control panel. Do NOT count
on your home circuit panel to provide
adequate protection!
• Never operate a tesla coil in an area
where there is standing water, or where a
significant shock hazard exists.
• Do not operate a tesla coil when pets or
small children are present.
• Spend some time laying out your circuits.
Hot glue, electrical tape and exposed wiring
are quick and easy, but could be lethal
• Tesla Coils are potentially dangerous
devices and precautions must be taken
before every operation to help prevent
possible damage to property, injury, or
death. Unqualified persons should never
be.
• Tesla Coils can damage or destroy
hearing aids and cardiac pacemakers in the
proximity of the unit. This means that Tesla
Coils are capable of killing a person
wearing a pacemaker. It is imperative to
verify that anyone using one of these
devices maintains a good distance from an
operating Tesla Coil.
Observations
Because of their dangers around other
electronci devices, I did not wish to take
any pictues of my Tesla Coil while it is in
operation, as I do not wish to ruin any of my
electronics. So that is why I can only
provide a written description of my
experiments
TO start off with, I wanted to know how
large the sparks would be on my Tesla Coil.
TO my surprise, the Coil only produced
sparks about 1 to 1.5 cm long.I then
decided to see if the coil would be able to
wirelessly turn on a fluorescent light bulb. It
did, but only to a distance of about 2 feet.
To adjust the distance of the light bulb, I
turned the COil off and then moved the light
bulb.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I can say trhat the Tesla Coil
is capable of lighting up a fluorescent light
bulbs wirelessly. However, I can say that it
is not a practical solution. It is extremely
dangerous, and you can not toucha nything
involved because of the lethal nature. Also
the machine is extremely loud. You simply
can not use it at home. The high voltages
rewquired can easily back fire and cause
deadly disasters including fire or
electrocution
