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How to build a Tesla Coil

by DevCoder on March 24, 2009

Table of Contents

How to build a Tesla Coil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: How to build a Tesla Coil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: DANGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Gather the Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 3: Wind the Secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 4: Prepare the Bases and Wind the Primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 5: Build the Capacitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 6: Connect Everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 7: Start it Up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 8: For the Future... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Author:DevCoder My Hompage
Devin is a cool guy, eh doesnt kill himself while doing stupid things, and doesnt afraid of anything.

Intro: How to build a Tesla Coil

This Instructable will walk you through building a medium sized Tesla coil.

Image Notes
1. So ugly on an otherwise perfect coil...
2. Upside down cone

Step 1: DANGER
Unlike some other high voltage experiments, a Tesla coil's streamers can be very harmful. If you are shocked by the streamers, you will not feel pain, but your
circulatory and nervous system can sustain severe damage. DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE ON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES .

Also, I don't take any responsibility for you hurting yourself.

This isn't to say that you shouldn't get into high voltage though, its just that if you are planning for this to be your first HV project, its a little to involved. Instead, try out a
nice microwave oven transformer , and be safe!

Step 2: Gather the Materials

The total cost came to around $25, being that I already had the wood, Snapple bottles, PVC, and glue.

Secondary Coil:

A length of 1.5" PVC (the longer the better)

About 300 feet of 24 AWG copper enameled wire
1.5" PVC screw-thing (see picture)
1.5" metal floor flange with threads
Spray on enamel
Circular, smooth metallic object for the discharge terminal

Base and Supra-base

Various pieces of wood

Long bolts, nuts, and washers

Primary Coil:

About 10 feet of thin copper tubing

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
Capacitors:

6 Glass bottles (Snapple bottles work really well)

Table Salt
Oil (I used canola. Mineral oil (horse laxative) it preferable as it doesn't mold, but I didn't have any.)
Lots of aluminum foil

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Yep, it's PVC! 1. These corners are what you have to straighten, buy your wire on a spool if at all
possible.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. This is the screw thingy. Have fun finding it. 1. Metal floor flange.
2. PVC screwy-thingy goes in here
3. Bolts are in the wrong way

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes
1. Bolt
2. Nut (image comments are fun)

Image Notes
1. Be smart, unlike me, and spray in a well ventilated area.
2. I luv u ace <3

Image Notes Image Notes

1. You can also use it for a Tesla coil 1. Foiled again!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes
1. My kitty! He wanted my attention to be directed toward him, not the coil :D

Step 3: Wind the Secondary

Put a small slot into the top of the pipe to wrap one end of the wire around. Slowly and carefully begin to wrap the coil, making sure that you don't overlap wires or have
spaces. This step is the hardest and most tedious part, but taking a lot of time will yield a very nice coil. Every 20 or so turns, put a ring of masking tape around the coil to
act as a barrier if the coil starts to unravel. Once finished, wrap a tight piece of tape around the top and bottom of the coil and spray it with 2 or 3 coats of enamel.

Tips:

I built a rig for winding my coil that consisted of a microwave turntable motor (3 RPM) and a ball bearing.
Use a small block of wood with a notch in it to straighten the wire and tighten the coil.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. These corners are what you have to straighten, buy your wire on a spool if at all 1. motor
possible. 2. bearing - inside tube
3. pole holding bearing

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes
1. After Enamel

Image Notes
1. Before Enamel
2. Enamel

Image Notes
1. Notch

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
Step 4: Prepare the Bases and Wind the Primary
Align the metal stand in the center of the bottom board and drill holes for bolts to go through. attach the bolts tightly upside down . This will allow you to put a base for the
primary on top of it. Then bolt the primary's base in. Take your pipe and wind it into a pretty upside down cone (not the flat spiral in the pictures). Then mount it on the
supra-base.

Optional was the addition of 2 supports that I zip-tied the primary to.

Forgot to add how to make the spark gap! It is just two bolts in a open-air wooden box, and they are adjustable for tuning, etc. See the last image...

Image Notes Image Notes

1. these end caps help really well to attach a wire, I have no torch or flux 1. DON'T DO THIS KIND OF PRIMARY ON A COIL THIS SMALL
2. Damn, you got me!

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Reminds me of a Ghosts album cover 1. Good primary, wrap it like this
2. Forgot to put how to make the spark gap. It simply is 2 bolts in a wooden frame

Step 5: Build the Capacitors

I decided to go the cheaper route and build a capacitor. The simplest way is to make a salt water capacitor, using salt water, oil and aluminum foil. Wrap the bottle in foil,
and fill it with water. Try to get equal amounts of water in each bottle, as it helps to keep the power output stable. The maximum amount of salt you can put in the water is
.359 g/mL, but this ends up being a lot of salt, so you can tone down the amount a lot (I used 5 grams). Just make sure that you use he same amounts on salt and water.
Now put a few mL of oil slowly into the bottle. Punch a hole in the top of the cap and put a length of wire in it. You now have one fully functioning capacitor, go make 5
more.

Optional: to keep the bottles in order, make or find a metal crate for them

As Glenn781 pointed out below, 6 Snapple bottles with a 15kV 30mA NST can be deadly! If you are using a NST like his, use 8-12 bottles, not 6!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes Image Notes
1. Prototype Party Cup Capacitor 1. All of the capacitors wired and finished!!!
2. Prototype Pickle Jar Capacitor
3. Final Snapple Capacitor

Image Notes
1. This one took way too much time and foil to be a good idea. It worked quite well
though.

Step 6: Connect Everything

Wire up everything according to the schematic below. The secondary's ground CANNOT be put to mains ground, it will fry everything in your house.

My Coil's Specs

599 Wraps on secondary

6.5 Wraps on primary

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes
1. So ugly on an otherwise perfect coil...
2. Upside down cone

Step 7: Start it Up!

Bring it outside for it's first run, as it really isn't safe to run anything this potentially powerful indoors, there is a high risk of fire. Flip the switch and enjoy the light show. My
NST, at 9Kv at 30mA, makes the coil give off 6 inch sparks. See it below:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 Image Notes
1. Tesla Coil

Step 8: For the Future...

There are a few things that I realize I should change in my next Tesla Coil, one of the main ones being the design of the primary coil. It needs to be both more tightly
coiled and it needs more windings. Also, i want to make a better discharge terminal. But, I have a new Tesla Coil planned for when i find the time and money, and it will
probably be 6-7ft tall!

But for now, I'd like to admire other coilers hard work!
(embedding seems broken, but links work)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVmX2Ik4ylg

Related Instructables

High voltage
ignition coil
supply by
MINI TESLA Step By Step super simple skuitarman Amazing
COIL by Jimmy Plans to ignition coil plasma globe
Jiffycoil's Tesla Proton Building a drivers by -max- tricks that you
Coil projects 250,000 Volt never knew
(Photos) by Tesla Coil. before!!! by
jiffycoil (REVISED Plasmana
VERSION) by
Tesla Coiler

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 579 comments

Turtles never lie! says: Nov 10, 2009. 8:48 PM REPLY

why do you need to connect the wire to the top? (the slit)

bfriesen-1 says: Mar 14, 2011. 7:03 PM REPLY

to hold it in place so that it won't unwind. duh.

maverick31 says: Mar 14, 2011. 6:50 PM REPLY

hi i have done same type of tesla coil by follwing your instructiuoins. i am really thankful for it. i have a smalll doubt is there any methos to determine the out
put voltage and efficiency of the tesla coil

msullivan says: Mar 10, 2011. 5:01 PM REPLY

How tall is the PVC pipe and what is the power source the tesla coil is running of like a generator or a standard house wall outlet

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 virtip says: Mar 7, 2011. 6:49 PM REPLY
some advice for all, to start off, if you want to use a battery then youre going to have to put a high frequency osscilator on it (look up "ZVS flyback driver"),
second of all, for those that want to go cheap and still need good resualts, go for a flyback out of a CRT (small high voltage transformer from any tube type
television) these little things produce 25 KV at around 30 milliamps, which is plenty for any small to medium sized tesla coil (and can produce even more
watts with the zero voltage switching inverter i mentioned earlier), third of all, use the right kind of capacitors, the ones this instructable uses will work just
fine, but electrolitic capacitors (such as those from a disposable camera) can and will detonate when used with high frequency DC (i speak from personal
experience, really a spectacular thing to see.) and finnaly, be safe and have fun

rocket master says: Mar 2, 2011. 4:09 PM REPLY

wouldnt you want less windings for a higher voltage?

Snerdguy says: Mar 28, 2010. 4:59 PM REPLY

Do not confuse a Tesla coil with a Van DeGraff generator. When you see demonstrations of someone with their hair standing straight up, the high voltage
comes from a Van DeGraff generator which builds a static charge through a mechanically driven belt. The participant stands on an insulator while touching
the top. The voltage can pop you when you are grounded. But the current is usually low.

A Tesla coil, on the other hand, is a type of transformer similar to the one in a television and it can generate high currents unless it is damped. It can kill you
if it is improperly handled. Usually, when you see it demonstrated the operator has a rod to draw the arc while they stand on an insulator or are wearing
rubber soled shoes. That acts to dampen the current. Some people have found out the hard way that shoes with metal nails in the soles are poor insulators.

Tesla coils are dangerous in the wrong hands and should not be treated as toys. If you build one, be careful and don't let other people mess with it.

rocket master says: Mar 2, 2011. 4:02 PM REPLY

yet tesla coils make high voltages and low current-that is how they work

djbaha says: Feb 24, 2011. 4:24 AM REPLY

Hey,what's that black box in the left down corner? I need its voltage to make tesla coil. I think it's kinda transformer.. Message me please.

bowmaster says: Feb 20, 2011. 5:23 PM REPLY

Can we use commercial electrolytic capacitors instead of Lydon jars? If so, what farad rating should we use for a similar sized coil to yours? Also, how come
despite the low amperage are these harmless, as well as the high voltage but lack of pain?

DevCoder says: Feb 20, 2011. 6:27 PM REPLY

no, because of the design of electrolytic capacitors, you can't use just a few. you would need to build a "multi mini capacitor" or MMC. you can use this
page to calculate everything.

it's not that the tesla coil is necessarily harmful, but because i, and most other people, lack the tools to measure the output of the coil, it is safer not to risk
the potential for injury. also, if you were to be damaged by the tesla coil, you would very quickly permanently lose nerve reception in the area effected.
better safe than sorry in my book.

bowmaster says: Feb 20, 2011. 8:04 PM REPLY

What sort of device would be used to measure the power of the coil? Couldn't you use math to find an approximate power based on capitance
values, number of coils, input power, etc?

DevCoder says: Feb 20, 2011. 8:22 PM REPLY

you can use math, but environmental variables can change the output a lot. the tool is an electrostatic voltmeter

bowmaster says: Feb 21, 2011. 3:31 PM REPLY

I know the actual power is going to be different from the calculated because it's not 100% efficient. Thank you for answering my questions.

bowmaster says: Feb 22, 2011. 2:35 PM REPLY

One more question, can you use a microwave transformer instead of a neon sign transformer?

spark light says: Feb 20, 2011. 3:16 AM REPLY

Have you tried tuning it?

creatorborg says: Feb 17, 2011. 4:08 PM REPLY

Can you give me a more detailed description on the wiring? I really want to build this for a nikola tesla display i am doing, but your wiring diaramma confuses
me.
Thanks in advance, me

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 malik98 says: Feb 15, 2011. 3:25 PM REPLY
my spark gap caught on fire is there anyway to fix this

alfareifaldy says: Feb 15, 2011. 8:02 AM REPLY

how big the diameter of the magnet wire? and I'm having trouble getting NST Transformer, can I use the drivers Flyback Transformer?.

munson says: Feb 11, 2011. 9:40 AM REPLY

would a 12kv 2ma transformer work alright? i found one in my basement but im not sure if the amprage is too small

bwang says: Feb 14, 2011. 9:17 PM REPLY

No.

sixpackwill says: Jan 12, 2011. 4:26 PM REPLY

can i use 24 awg galvanized steel wire instead??? I couldnt find copper wire with that thickness at home depot. Please answer ASAP. thanks!

bwang says: Feb 14, 2011. 9:16 PM REPLY

No, galvanized steel has no insulation and steel has too high of a resistance.

stevo-d says: Jan 4, 2011. 8:40 PM REPLY

Ummm, harmful amounts of UV light appears to be visible at your spark gap... I'm no expert here, but from what I've read, you really should have that
enclosed for the safety of your eyes... Has been described elsewhere as like watching an arc welder, and use arc welding eye protection if you DO NEED to
look at it for any reason.

sam48415 says: Jan 27, 2011. 5:50 PM REPLY

Your probabally going to get hurt anyway, so it doesent matter. I highly doubt that it is as bright as an arc welder, and will harm your eyes that much

stevo-d says: Jan 28, 2011. 4:47 AM REPLY

Well you're right that it would not be as bad as an arc welder because if it was, it would probably melt the terminals!
My point is however that high voltage arcs do indeed produce harmful ultra violet light and just letting anyone intending to do this know to take
caution.
As for "getting hurt anyway", I will disagree... Again, we should take caution... Make some pretty sparks, but DON'T make yourself part of the circuit!!!

sam48415 says: Jan 28, 2011. 12:16 PM REPLY

Yeh i agree, dont be a conducter of that circuit, it will mess u up. Now that i look at the bottom, where the spark gap is, it looks kinda bright, take
caution

sam48415 says: Jan 27, 2011. 5:20 PM REPLY

Do u think a 6k volt NST would do it ?

bobslau says: Jan 22, 2011. 8:54 AM REPLY

What is the NST? I do not know what that stands for. Thanks.

jessekovacs says: Jan 26, 2011. 8:42 PM REPLY

It means "Neon Sign Transformer". You need it to get the high voltages needed for the coil to operate.

spikeracooba says: Jan 20, 2011. 7:33 AM REPLY

can i use more than 1 set of the snapple bottle things

DevCoder says: Jan 20, 2011. 8:29 AM REPLY

yes, but in parallel not in series

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 scredshirt says: Jan 19, 2011. 7:41 PM REPLY
Sry, scratch my last comment about the secondary, I meant how do you connect it to the base

scredshirt says: Jan 19, 2011. 7:37 PM REPLY

Where does the secondary connect to? You werent really specific about what gets exactly wired where also

malik98 says: Jan 17, 2011. 2:52 PM REPLY

mine won't start do you have any troubleshooting ideas

sixpackwill says: Jan 17, 2011. 9:14 AM REPLY

where did you buy your wire and does it have to be a certain diameter? Also, what did you use for you discharge terminal and electric supply because its not
in the materials. Thanks

sixpackwill says: Jan 17, 2011. 9:12 AM REPLY

where exactly did you buy the wire and does it have to be a specific diameter?

bpwmd says: Jan 16, 2011. 6:13 PM REPLY

what did you connect the secondary to specifically

modog4000 says: Jan 16, 2011. 1:54 PM REPLY

6 nestea bottles do perfectly well they are heat treated and have a low chance of exploding

AHW214 says: Jan 9, 2011. 6:38 PM REPLY

How tall (long) is you secondary?

malik98 says: Jan 2, 2011. 2:52 PM REPLY

can i use 14 awg wire

AHW214 says: Jan 9, 2011. 6:36 PM REPLY

For the secondary you can't, it is too thick. I think he used 24 awg wire.

malik98 says: Jan 6, 2011. 2:39 PM REPLY

can i use 14 awg wire on the secondary

malik98 says: Jan 5, 2011. 4:28 PM REPLY

i'm using 200-250 ma is that safe

DevCoder says: Jan 5, 2011. 5:28 PM REPLY

really nothing about this project is safe

outlaws says: Nov 12, 2010. 1:40 PM REPLY

Do you have to use Iodized salt

kneecaps says: Jan 1, 2011. 2:00 AM REPLY

no. the reason you put salt is because the sodium and chlorine in the salt (sodium chloride) breaks up into free floating ions. iodine wouldnt change it

SamuriNinjas says: Dec 31, 2010. 1:34 PM REPLY

Hey, I was wondering if you could just use a plastic jar instead of a glass one. Would that work? or does it HAVE to be glass?
All help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/
 DevCoder says: Dec 31, 2010. 2:10 PM REPLY
you could use plastic, im not sure what it would do the the capacitance of the individual capacitors though. i would also be wary of fire...

AHW214 says: Dec 31, 2010. 1:49 PM REPLY

Does the metal crate electrically connect all of the aluminum foil on each bottle?

view all 579 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-Tesla-Coil/