Help Needed: Building a Tesla Coil - No Arcs Coming Out Toroid

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on troubleshooting a Tesla coil that fails to produce arcs from the toroid despite the spark gap firing continuously. Key issues identified include the necessity for matching turns between the primary and secondary coils to ensure frequency alignment, as well as potential problems with the transformer or capacitor. The user has attempted adjustments such as repositioning the toroid and using a wire extension but has not achieved any output. The conversation highlights the importance of tuning the coils for optimal performance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Tesla coil design and operation
  • Knowledge of electrical components, specifically transformers and capacitors
  • Familiarity with the concept of resonant frequency in electrical circuits
  • Experience with circuit troubleshooting techniques
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Tesla coil tuning techniques to optimize arc output
  • Learn about transformer specifications and their impact on Tesla coil performance
  • Investigate the importance of matching turns between primary and secondary coils
  • Explore common troubleshooting methods for electrical circuits in Tesla coils
USEFUL FOR

Electronics enthusiasts, hobbyists building Tesla coils, and anyone interested in high-voltage electrical experiments will benefit from this discussion.

aabceh
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Hello all,
I am in the process of building a tesla coil and I need a little help.

I have everything completed enough that I can start testing it. I plug the coil in and the spark gap fires immediately and continuously, but no arcs come out the toroid.

I tried moving the toroid closer to the secondary coil and putting a piece of wire sticking out of the toroid, but there are still no arcs.

If anyone has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Do the turns match for both coils? Couldn't it be a problem of the frequencies not matching up? Or maybe you have a weak transformer? Where do you test your tesla coil? In a garage or something?
 
I have been testing it outside because I am using chicken wire as a ground. What do you mean about the turns matching up? Does the secondary need to have a multiple of the primary's coils? In my research I have never read anything about that, but I might just be missing it.
 
I remember reading about how the secondary and primary coils have to match in frequency. Meaning if one coil has a certain amount of turns, then the other must have a certain amount of turns to match the frequency. I know these tesla coils can be quiet tricky. (Had a mate of mine that did one for a science fair project a couple years ago, and the first one they made was a failure.)
 
I found that there was the term called "tuning" the coils, but can't really find anything beyond that.
 
What I have found about tuning the coil is that you adjust the amount of turns in the primary to get the greatest output from the secondary, but everything I've found about it has said to try one position and measure the arc length, then try a different position and so on, but that doesn't really work when there are no sparks at all.
 
Then there is something either wrong with your capacitor, or transformer. Or you may have a short some where in your circuit?
 

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