World's Simplest POWERFUL Solid State Tesla Coil (SSTC)
Introduction: World's Simplest POWERFUL Solid State Tesla Coil (SSTC)
Be sure to check out my latest Tesla coil build, in which I show exactly how to make your own staccato QCW DRSSTC: https://www.instructables.com/Building-the-Worlds-Easiest-QCW-Tesla-Coil-Staccat/. It's the first tutorial of its kind here on Instructables (and YouTube!), so don't miss out!
Before I begin, I encourage you to check out my how-to video on the LabCoatz YouTube channel, in which I build and demonstrate this incredible circuit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0lkg9lxz3s&t. A good friend of mine collaborated with me to help make this video, so give him some love and go check out his video on the subject as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b9QqnwCchU&t. Now, let's begin!
Everyone who's anyone want a solid state Tesla coil these days. While spark gap Tesla coils hold the crown as the simplest and most robust Tesla coil variant, they have their issues. Spark gap coils require dangerously high input voltages (over 4kV), noisy spark gaps, and tend to draw a lot of power. Solid state coils (SSTC's), on the other hand, run off low voltages (usually under 400V), produce more energetic sparks, and can be run almost silently. Unfortunately, most SSTCs are quite hard to build. Many require strange driver chips, years of experience, and massive bus capacitors. Well not this one! This coil design can achieve the astounding performance of a traditional SSTC (or even a small vacuum tube Tesla coil) using less than ten circuit components, zero finicky driver IC's, and NO TUNING! Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get started!
Supplies
Please note that all of these components are interchangeable with similar components (I'll talk about each component's requirements later on):
1pcs. N-channel MOSFETwith large heatsink (IRFP460's work pretty well, get two if you want to build an interrupter for the coil)
1pcs. 1k, 1/4W resistor
1pcs. 30k, 1/4W resistor
1pcs. 100nF capacitor (must be rated over 200V)
1pcs. 134
power diode (I used the 10A10)
1pcs. 12V bidirectional TVS diode (I used the 1.5KE12CA)
1pcs. 400V bidirectional TVS diode (I used the 1.5KE400CA)
1pcs. 470pF capacitor (must be rated over 200V)
1pcs. Some form of electrical ballast to limit the current (you can use a hair dryer, toaster, heater element, or even a lightbulb. While testing this circuit, ballast it with a low-power device, like a incandescent lightbulb).
1pcs. A secondary coil (mine was 7" tall and under 2" wide, wrapped with ~35AWG wire, but you can use literally any coil configuration)
1pcs. A primary coil (mine had a radius 1/2" wider than the secondary coil, and had about 3-4 turns of 16AWG insulated wire [no inter-winding spacing]. It was positioned almost half way up the secondary coil)
A soldering iron (kinda optional, but REALLY useful)
Step 1: Pick and Buy the Parts
This coil will be powered with the 120VAC from an ordinary home wall socket. The reason for this is twofold. First of all, basically EVERYONE (in the USA) has an electrical outlet available to them, as opposed to something like a 30VDC supply, which many DIY SSTC's sadly seem to require. Second, 120V is the highest voltage that ordinary people have access to, so logically it has the greatest potential for generating massive SSTC sparks! Since this coil will be utilizing 120V, all parts must be able to handle these conditions and MORE. If you are trying to build this circuit in a 220-240V region, I suggest trying this circuit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG-pD43i_6A. It is basically the exact same as my circuit, but is modified to handle 240V-operation.
SSTC's are very extreme circuits, so the components must be capable of dealing with some abuse without dying. 98