Progress!

We have progress! The new step down transformer we ordered has came and with a little bit of wiring its working! Once again we made a jacobs ladder using it and managed to test the cap bank. Unfortunately the bank failed so I need to do another test to find out why but thats for later. For now, we are set and one step closer to running the coil proper!

Running Your Tesla Coil

Ok so I have not ran my coil proper yet but i have tested the transformer and we do have first light! The step down transformer had a too low wattage and blew so it has halted construction. MAKE SURE YOUR STEP DOWN CAN TAKE THE WATTAGE OF THE NEON SIGN TRANSFORMER. i'll try and put the video of it on youtube.

Next: Running the Tesla Coil 2

Testing Components

You're so close to running it for the first time but first you need to check all of the components!

First check the transformer by plugging it it and trying to create a spark between both terminals using a piece of wire. This will not damage it don't worry.

 Then test the safety gap and make sure that the spark does NOT jump from one terminal to the middle one. If nothing happens then it is working. 

Test the cap bank by plugging up one end of it to the transformer and the other try and ark to the other terminal of the transformer. 

Finally check the spark gap, make sure the spark jumps between the two terminals. 

After you have done all of these and everything works you're ready to run it proper.!

Next: Running the Tesla Coil

Connections

Now to connect everything up. It really easy. All you need is some simple crocodile clip wires and follow the diagram.

All the stuff on the left is the transformer. Everything else is clearly labeled and just wire up everything just like seen here. If your tesla coil uses a safety gap then put it in parallel to the two outputs of the transformer like the caps are. But make sure its the first thing the transformer gets too. Assemble, glue, tape and connect everything together and you should have something looking like this.

All your circuitry should be at the bottom hooked up to the main tower assembly at the top. Now its time to test the components!

Next: Testing components

Step down transformer

If you live in england but your transformer is american (vice versa) then there is a voltage difference and you will need a step up/down transformer to fix the problem. All you need to do is to buy one that the input fits your country and the output fits the transformer. This step is easy but necessary if there is a voltage difference.

Next: Connections

Grounding Rod

The grounding rod is an essential piece of the tesla coil yet it is very simple to make and use. All you need to do is shove a metal pole as deep into the ground as you can. This is needed for your tesla coil to work safely and if you have a safety gap like me you need somewhere to vent the feedback. 

To make it work, just make a wire coming from the neon sign transformer ground terminal, the bottom wire of the secondary coil and the grounding terminal of the safety gap to the grounding rod when you run the transformer. This will make everything work properly!

Next: Step down Transformer

Capacitor Bank

The capacitor bank and primary coil make up the primary circuit for the tesla coil. Now if you have done the math correctly in one of the first steps you should know which capacitors your using, how many of them in a string and how many parallel strings there are. If you do not know this re-read the maths steps. If you are making a tesla coil the same as mine you will need 9 of these in series with only one string.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1250V-0-15uF-POLYPROPOLENE-CAPACITOR-WITH-METAL-FILM-ROHS-COMPLIANT-NEW-/400337027811?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item5d35f242e3

This step is not hard; all you need to do is make something to hold your components  on and do some wiring. I suspended a piece of balsa wood by 1cm high dowels and on the wood would be the circuitry for the bank. Once you have that you need to solder the wires. Put one of the resistors i put in the parts list between each cap and just wire then in series or parallel depending on what your maths tells you. My one just had all nine caps in a string one after the other with a resistor after each one. Don't bother connecting the start and the end of the string to anything yet. 

Once this is done, stick the bank to the main frame of the tesla coil ready to be hooked up in a later step.

Next Step: Grounding Rod

Neon Sign Transformer/ Update

Ok so its been a while. Sorry I have been distracted by many things and getting the NST was a NIGHTMARE.

To help you all out this post will explain how to get a neon sign transformer/NST.

Modern day NST's have a GFCI chip in them that basically make making tesla coils or anything else with them very very difficult. Thats why people say get older NST's as they don't have the chip in. Now in england its impossible to get an NST that does not have the GFCI in. It is possible to buy one and take the chip out but its hard and if done wrong can kill the transformer. The only way to get one will be to order one of ebay coming from america and with there outrages weight, the shipping charge is about £100!. This is why it took me ages to get one as I was looking for one that was cheap. If you live in america its fine but if not I advise going here. There shipping charges are cheaper but still quite expensive.

- http://www.amazing1.com/tesla-accessories-books/?sort=featured&page=5

The website is great for high voltage projects including jacobs ladders, rail guns and lasers. (Might be my next project)

I got the 6kv one. Any way that is why this project has not been updated in awhile so thanks for being patient!

Next: Capacitor Bank