Variable Spark Gap Tesla Coil

This is a small tesla coil that I made using a home wound flyback transformer. At the moment, using an inefficient 2n3055 cicuit, it puts out around 3kv at maybe 5 ma. (very low power for tesla coils) This power supply is parallel with a 1.41nF tank cap. Then this is in connected through the primary and spark gap. What's different about this coil is that I made the spark gap varible and since the voltage is so low you can change the gap size while it is running. Becuase this coil is running a very small tank cap, it performs more like a soild state tesla coil then the normal spark gap type. It runs at a very high frequency and has streamers that are more solid state like than spark gap like. For this demostration I put a 3in dia. clear light bulb on top of the secondary so you can see the streamers better. Enjoy! :)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• tesla
• coil
• variable
• spark
• gap
• transformer
• flyback
• high
• voltage
• 2n3055
• kv
• ma

[Sparrow338]

Yea totally, I actually have a flyback/circuit that will do this. I just lashed this TC/flyback up really quick to see how it would respond to having a variable spark gap.

[Aeryk333]

Not bad. With a better drive circuit you can produce the same display from the flyback directly.