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$5 Tesla Coil Speaker — Parallax Forums

$5 Tesla Coil Speaker

ercoerco Posts: 20,257
edited 2017-05-13 00:59 in Robotics
May 12 edit: price dropped from $8 originally to fi-dolla, so I changed the title.

Must be mounted on robot! Won't improve battery life, audio fidelity, or WiFi range. http://www.ebay.com/itm/232152538950

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-24V-2A-15W-Mini-Tesla-Coil-Plasma-Electric-Arc-Electronic-DIY-Kit-Music-Play-/201922271835

Comments

  • yetiyeti Posts: 818
    edited 2017-04-25 16:10
    Sweee...eeet! \o/

    Subtitle:
    Do not lead me into temptation!
    I already have far too many toys idling around and collecting dust...
    :-(
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Awesome!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    xanadu wrote: »
    Awesome!

    Use your radar sensor to detect raiders near your desert rover and activate multiple defensive Tesla tasers!

  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    We also need to figure out a long range breathalyzer.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    For alcohol or halitosis? Ideally both.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    The Tesla Coil Speaker arrived today!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2017-05-08 05:24
    It works!

    18301497_10156160701934447_4036737797361091327_n.jpg
    18301497_10156160701934447_4036737797361091327_n.jpg
    960 x 720 - 28K
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    Nice! Nothing here yet, DOH, how'd you get yours first? :(
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2017-05-13 00:53
    Finally got mine today. Now just $5!

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-24V-2A-15W-Mini-Tesla-Coil-Plasma-Electric-Arc-Electronic-DIY-Kit-Music-Play-/201922271835
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,768
    That is super cool. I have to get one...
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    It would look dandy on top of your line follower. :)
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    erco wrote: »
    Nice! Nothing here yet, DOH, how'd you get yours first? :(

    Maybe it came into ports in San Diego instead of LA?

    Did you play any music yet?



  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    I somehow missed this. Just ordered one for myself, looks cool.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    xanadu wrote: »

    Did you play any music yet?



    Does that CF blink to the music?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    No time to build & play any time soon, busy with a sizable paying robot project that I must finish before we jet off to Cancun in June.

    xanadu will have to field your answers for now.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    xanadu wrote: »

    Did you play any music yet?

    Does that CF blink to the music?

    If it does, it is hard to notice. I think the voltage to the coil remains nearly constant, and the frequency is modulated. The CF probably wouldn't notice that. I really have no idea. If you search for anything, search for Slayer Exciter, not Tesla Coil. I find it all very interesting but I still can't explain it.

    Here's a video of mine, there are much better videos explaining theory. For $5-$8, and the joy of a low component count through-hole kit, it can't be beat. Just don't touch the heatsinks or the secondary coil!



  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2017-05-13 18:18
    Bravo! Awesome video, very helpful! Superglue/CA to hold the coil down?

    I like your idea of building it into a tuned enclosure for better sound. A bass-reflex Tesla coil!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Thanks. I used hot glue. My CA is being held captive along with the rover. I will add some CA, the hot glue won't hold long.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,768
    Mine just came. Had forgotten that I ordered it...
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    Mine came today too. Love the instructions.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    What are the chances of duplicating this design on a bigger scale, and still be portable.

    I always wanted to light up a room upon entry.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    What are the chances of duplicating this design on a bigger scale, and still be portable.

    I always wanted to light up a room upon entry.

    Should be easy enough.

    I like what Arc Attack did on AGT.



  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    That is pure awesomesauce arcsomesauce.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    So if I can manage to get two Van de Graaff generators in my back pockets... Forget that, I already have a bad hair day everyday.

    Why not just grab the bull by the horns:
    Thinking Cap On.png
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  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    OK mine works too. I used a ring of JB-Kwik to secure the coil to the PCB. Did not have the "tightness" problem with the primary coil wire reported by the OP video; mine came out looking like the picture. It lights up the neon bulb, impressively lights up a CFL, and plays tinny music at barely audible levels with only 20 watts of power.

    I was wondering if I'd have a suitable power supply for it, but it turns out the brick for the old laptop I bought in 2003 and never got around to tossing is exactly what this kit needs, 20 VDC at 3.1 amps. Even has the right connector.

    So thanks erco, a Tesla coil was always on my bucket list and this was a fantastically cheap and easy way to scratch it off.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2017-06-03 00:23
    Kit vs. Kit! Wonder what the resonant frequency of your cheap Chinese Slayer Exciter kit is? Your cheap Chinese frequency counter can tell you!
    tesla-fq.jpg
    Edit: In further science news, playing music doesn't seem to affect it much at all. Then again the sample rate of the counter might be averaging out audio frequency variations in the RF frequency.
    tesla-fq.jpg
    400 x 711 - 69K
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,768
    Just put mine together today... Didn't work at first. Seems you have to strip the insulation off of the ground end of the big coil to get a good connection.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,768
    Also had a hard time finding a power supply... Think it really needs a 2 A supply?
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Mine runs 0.9 A @ 24 VDC, or 0.6 A @ 15 VDC.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    Yeah solder temperatures don't really cut through enamel insulation. You have to scrape it at least a bit. And it does use quite a bit of power, as the heat sink temperatures might suggest.
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