What is a Tesla?

Answer 1

== == A Tesla Coil is basically a step-up transformer with an air core; used to produce high voltages at high frequencie. It works with the following items and steps:

TRANSFORMER - Takes 110 volt wall socket current, and steps it up to several thousand volts (depending on the transformer).

CAPACITOR - Acts like a battery, and takes the stepped-up voltage and stores it until it's fully charged. Once fully charged, the SPARK-GAP fires, releasing all of the capacitors stored energy in a sngle powerful burst or pulse.

SPARK-GAP - From the SPARK-GAP, the current flows to the large PRIMARY COIL.

PRIMARY COIL - The PRIMARY COIL, is usually made from thick copper wire or even pipe, consisting of 5-25 turns or coils. This large copper coil produces a strong magntic field as the current flows through it, the current is then picked up by the SECONDARY COIL.

SECONDARY COIL - This SECONDARY COIL, acts like another transformer, and consists of numerous turns or coils of smaller gauge copper wire. Here the current continues building by the effects of the magnetic field on the copper, until it reaches massive voltage levels. This current moves up into the DISCHARGE SPHERE.

DISCHARGE SPHERE - The DISCHARGE SPHERE also acts like a simple capacitor (storage battery), before discharging the current as sparks and corona.

To see numerous Tesla Coils and other high voltage items, please visit:

http://www.rb59.com/tesla-coil/tesla-coil.html