The Oldest Surviving Tesla Coils (1897 - 1899) from X-Ray Pioneer Thomas Burton Kinraide

These coils were uncovered in hidden rooms beneath a 25-room mansion built by Kinraide. Finding the home was part of a dozen-year adventure and mystery. Once there we uncovered not only the coils, but hundreds of glass plate negatives of electrical discharge photos known as Lichtenberg Figures or Electrographs. Kinraide was one of the first pioneers of Tesla technologies. I built the reproduction Kinraide Coil using vintage materials whenever possible. It has a 900V transformer, a 6" diameter copper quenched spark gap, a large condenser, and two specially wound coils after Kinraide's designs. It produces over a 12" discharge with less than 200 watts of power consumed and weighs around 75 pounds. Burton, I hope this does you some justice!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Tesla
• Coil
• Antique
• Science
• Technology
• Free
• Energy
• X-Rays
• Crookes
• Geissler
• Static
• Electric
• Electrotherapy
• Museum

[electrotherapy]

3.21 - 3.48 is a reproduction of Kinraide's water-cooled spark gap. This was the 1899 predecessor to the "Quenched Spark Gap" of Wein / Telefunken later in the wireless days. He patented it in the US, UK, Germany, and France. It is 6" diameter copper plates, with a jug of water resting on one to keep it cool. (The transformer to Kinraide's device only supplied 900V to the condenser). This form of spark gap can work wonders, but only if accurately machined and adjusted. A tedious job to do!

[Music11Maker]

Great way to destroy helicopters.

[sydfan526]

0:39 is John Worral Keely's Musical Dynesphere machine that tapped the aether and was started with a tuning fork...

[maximumgravity]

Really fun find - what an amazing adventure it must have been. Thank you for sharing.

[audiotesla]

Wow! Your video is absolutely nuts! Very cool, indeed! Nice job displaying the old apparatus in your collection. I also like the pancake coils you made.

Hank

[kubikop]

3:21 to 3:48 The arrangement is interesting, do you have more info on it?

Thanks

Paul.