TESLA COIL - Fantastic - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

David Simpson · 16th Jan 2023, 7:01 pm

Last Thursday afternoon, after an enjoyable good natter & coffee/cakes at a local garden centre's café, our wee gang went to a member's croft's great workshop to see his wonderous Tesla Coil in operation at dusk-time.
I suspect that this is biggest home designed & built coil in Scotland, if not the UK. To my knowledge there isn't a University-built one in Aberdeen, and I haven't heard of one at any of the other Scottish universities. Probably one or two down in England - NPL, Science Museum, Oxbridge, etc.
Pictures show the owner(Martin GM8AGM, VMARS) explaining to Duncan Leece(VRR&R Forum) & another VR/AR enthusiast chum - John Rennie, with another chum (VRR&R - "Oldcrust", aka Steve Liley) also taking photos.
The workmanship & design is fantastic.

Regards, David

Bazz4CQJ · 16th Jan 2023, 7:07 pm

Back in the 1970's, we used to use hand-held, mains-powered Tesla coils to find leaks in glass vacuum equipment. Wherever the leak was, the inrushing air would attract the spark to the point of entry. Looks like they are still used https://www.electrotechnicproducts.c...ncy-generator/ The distinct smell of ozone was noticeable.

B

David Simpson · 16th Jan 2023, 7:09 pm

More Pictures. I've more on file, but using BT's ancient/slow ADSL its a sod to go through the uploading procedure. Dave
PS. Yep Bazz - helluva smell of ozone thanks to the 100KV & the spark reaching up to the tanalised rafters.

Viewmaster · 16th Jan 2023, 7:23 pm

Bach, Toccata, but with 2 huge Tesla Coils !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daE_UMyEHn4

David Simpson · 16th Jan 2023, 9:59 pm

More pictures - from 29/8/2021 when Martin carried out some modifications to "brass ball" discharge-gap & the motorised LV spark-gap generator. I was just the helper/gofer. The whole caboodle had been built a number of years ago.

Regards, David

The Philpott · 16th Jan 2023, 11:49 pm

Very nice of the owner to share. The surface-mount voltmeter looks WWII era or thereabouts, very similar to my Admiralty pattern (low voltage) meter.

Dave

Radio Wrangler · 17th Jan 2023, 4:22 am

There was a lot of discussion following previous Tesla coil threads, and the conclusion was that they were off-topic for the forum, caused interference, and could be dangerous for people without experience of extreme high voltage work. The consensus was that such threads should be closed.

David

Radio Wrangler · 17th Jan 2023, 4:45 pm

Dave Simpson wanted to point out that the people involved had a mixture of experience in the high voltage supply industry, were qualified electrical engineers, etc., so they had good appreciation of the dangers involved and the measures needed to do it safely.

David

16th Jan 2023, 7:01 pm	#1
David Simpson Nonode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aberdeen, UK. Posts: 2,859	TESLA COIL - Fantastic Last Thursday afternoon, after an enjoyable good natter & coffee/cakes at a local garden centre's café, our wee gang went to a member's croft's great workshop to see his wonderous Tesla Coil in operation at dusk-time. I suspect that this is biggest home designed & built coil in Scotland, if not the UK. To my knowledge there isn't a University-built one in Aberdeen, and I haven't heard of one at any of the other Scottish universities. Probably one or two down in England - NPL, Science Museum, Oxbridge, etc. Pictures show the owner(Martin GM8AGM, VMARS) explaining to Duncan Leece(VRR&R Forum) & another VR/AR enthusiast chum - John Rennie, with another chum (VRR&R - "Oldcrust", aka Steve Liley) also taking photos. The workmanship & design is fantastic. Regards, David Attached Thumbnails

16th Jan 2023, 7:07 pm	#2
Bazz4CQJ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,935	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic Back in the 1970's, we used to use hand-held, mains-powered Tesla coils to find leaks in glass vacuum equipment. Wherever the leak was, the inrushing air would attract the spark to the point of entry. Looks like they are still used https://www.electrotechnicproducts.c...ncy-generator/ The distinct smell of ozone was noticeable. B __________________ Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch.

16th Jan 2023, 7:09 pm	#3
David Simpson Nonode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aberdeen, UK. Posts: 2,859	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic More Pictures. I've more on file, but using BT's ancient/slow ADSL its a sod to go through the uploading procedure. Dave PS. Yep Bazz - helluva smell of ozone thanks to the 100KV & the spark reaching up to the tanalised rafters. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by David Simpson; 16th Jan 2023 at 7:12 pm. Reason: Add'l info

16th Jan 2023, 7:23 pm	#4
Viewmaster Hexode Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, UK. Posts: 253	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic Bach, Toccata, but with 2 huge Tesla Coils ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daE_UMyEHn4 __________________ "One small step for man".....because he has arthritis. www.retinascope.co.uk Albert.

16th Jan 2023, 9:59 pm	#5
David Simpson Nonode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Aberdeen, UK. Posts: 2,859	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic More pictures - from 29/8/2021 when Martin carried out some modifications to "brass ball" discharge-gap & the motorised LV spark-gap generator. I was just the helper/gofer. The whole caboodle had been built a number of years ago. Regards, David Attached Thumbnails

16th Jan 2023, 11:49 pm	#6
The Philpott Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colchester, Essex, UK. Posts: 4,108	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic Very nice of the owner to share. The surface-mount voltmeter looks WWII era or thereabouts, very similar to my Admiralty pattern (low voltage) meter. Dave

17th Jan 2023, 4:22 am	#7
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,902	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic There was a lot of discussion following previous Tesla coil threads, and the conclusion was that they were off-topic for the forum, caused interference, and could be dangerous for people without experience of extreme high voltage work. The consensus was that such threads should be closed. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

17th Jan 2023, 4:45 pm	#8
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,902	Re: TESLA COIL - Fantastic Dave Simpson wanted to point out that the people involved had a mixture of experience in the high voltage supply industry, were qualified electrical engineers, etc., so they had good appreciation of the dangers involved and the measures needed to do it safely. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done