Building Spark Gap Tesla Coil pt. 2 - High voltage transformer / power supply

This is the second episode of my Spark Gap Tesla Coil series. I talk about various high voltage transformers and power supplies, current limitation, series and parallel connection, inductors and magnetic shunts. I show how to make a high voltage power supply for a Tesla coil using microwave oven transformers (MOTs). With a schematic. Warning: extremely dangerous high voltage. Risk of serious electric shock!
The first episode:
• Building Spark Gap Tes...
The next episode:
• Building Spark Gap Tes...
Please support this channel on Patreon:
/ diodegonewild

[@robson6285]

First time someone explains understandable how a magnetic shunt works! I never found out the working till now, so thanks! You are really a great explainer! (pc power-supplies came also reálly clear to me, thanks to your channel!(Áll their circuitdiagrams, so much thanks for that!!))

[@AmitabhAnkur]

100% agree

[@Cadwaladr]

He's a super awesome guy, I've learned a lot from him.

[@TitofBee]

and a wonderful & unforgetable accent, that puts a smile on my face )))

[@bigturbofan3642]

I know that due to the COVID emergency you can't go out to buy thinghs that arent strictly necessary, but I think that pouring the transformers in mineral oil would help preventing arcs and cool them down. Can't wait for part 3

[@Conservator.]

Thank you for explaining everything in such an easy to understand manner! Can’t wait to see part 3!

[@lancemgy]

Easy to understand...except for the crazy way of talking, so incredibly distracting. No one else talks that way. It impedes the presentation of information.

[@johnoddvar1967]

@@lancemgy The acsent is lovely. Its a lot of people that dont have English as their first language. I think this man is doing what he is best on. I learn so much electro from him. If your loking for a english class go somewhere else.

[@hugoegon8148]

Initially I thought he is from India. :-D

[@dnorby6990]

Yes

[@drobotk]

At the end I was hoping you would say "Let's make some arcs!" :D

[@edgeeffect]

Thank you.... I've got closer to understanding what a magnetic shunt is and what it does.

[@tatemcaluney7269]

This is the best, most comprehensive SGTC lesson series and I am very grateful for you!

[@Miata822]

That's a serous power supply. Be careful folks.

[@fungusenthusiast8249]

one time I opened up a microwave to get an MOT and I found a switch mode power supply with a step up transformer so that the transformer was more efficient.

[@superdau]

A lot of recent microwaves are inverter based. It's just a lot cheaper to build because you need way fewer materials.

[@Stoney3K]

@@superdau And it allows the oven to use stepless continuous power regulation instead of having to rely on timed on/off switching to control the power.

[@fungusenthusiast8249]

then it seems we need to find and get the old ones before they are gone.

[@bashaaksema94]

Its funny that electroboom just did a video on a spark gap where it was in series instead of paralell to the source

[@markiangooley]

Yes. He first showed a Tesla coil circuit with that arrangement and then modified it for a spark-gap transmitter.

[@bashaaksema94]

@@markiangooley but why was the one on his in series? Instead of how diodegonewild explained it

[@omniyambot9876]

@@bashaaksema94 he's just using it to add the voltage, here diodegonewild already have very high voltages in series but he also did parallel for a total of 4 transformers so he could still supply high current for another primary which is the aircore transformer. His tesla coil is much higher power.

[@bashaaksema94]

@@omniyambot9876 interesting

[@flaplaya]

Both configurations work to generate HF HVAC and nice catch..

[@Davis38]

Seems like you and Electro Boom are connected lol, you do the same things at the same time!

[@AmitabhAnkur]

Not much

[@felixwurm1467]

Secret race who can make the biggest ark's

[@fabiosemino2214]

And Curiousmarc

[@regulareverydaynormalguy6479]

But ElectroBoom's schematics are WRONG (the capacitor is flipped with the spark gap)

[@sFeral]

@@regulareverydaynormalguy6479 I'd like to see Diode explain the difference between the two arrangements/schematics.

[@ProtoMan137]

Thanks for the explanation on magnetic shunts! Will come in handy while studying electric engineering :D

[@EdwardTriesToScience]

EVERONE, HE HAS A SECOND CHANNEL! IT IS CALLED DANYK666 I'm sure it's him because in one video, he says he will make an english channel called "diodegonewild"

[@adinko7]

Please make cheap charges from china theardoun.

[@legominimovieproductions]

Please do a science explenation discussion sith electroboom about the position of the cap and the spark gap😂

[@justin8894]

More salt!! You and Electroboom need to collaborate!

[@sFeral]

Explain the difference between Yours and ElectroBOOMs arrangement/schematic.

[@sFeral]

and what if you were to put another capacitor in place of the gap, while making sure the resonant frequency of the LC circuit is constructively interfering with the source 50/60Hz ?

[@regulareverydaynormalguy6479]

He already explained it in part 1, It can damage the transformer because of the high frequency .

[@sFeral]

@@regulareverydaynormalguy6479 lol something must have deterred me from watching the first part till the end.

[@sFeral]

@@regulareverydaynormalguy6479 I've seen people mix these schematics before, it's just easier to refer to EB now, since his channel appears to be gaining popularity and is somewhat in sync thematically. Diode is much more technical and just a tiny bit less comical.

[@sFeral]

@@regulareverydaynormalguy6479 Actually I'd like to see him explain all possible arrangements (with and without the gap), which includes the parallel cap being closer to the air-core primary, hence in series with the second cap.

[@SimplyChem32]

Perhaps transformer / mineral oil would assist in providing the necessary isolation for those transformers?

[@DiodeGoneWild]

Yes, somebody actually tried to put 6 MOTs in series and put them under oil. It worked, even though I'm not sure if this can be reliable in a long run. And a giant container with 6 MOTs and many many liters of oil isn't really the most practiacal thing to move around :D.

[@smartgamersify]

Very well explained sir 🙏😊

[@kolinevans9127]

Wait wait wAit, let’s just pause...and appreciate diodes gone wild for making these videos.

[@SUDExperiment]

You are so much Riche sir... You have an so many high voltage transformer... I have an no high voltage transformer 😭😭😭😟😟 I am very poor.

[@AmitabhAnkur]

Learned new things today.

[@MrPhantomFury]

Hey man, I wz just looking for those Moulinex MOTs on internet & came across this article “ Jacob’s ladder with 4 MOTs “ on a website called danyk.cz with the same pic of your 4 MOT arrangement ! That’s you right ? :p :p Yhe same MOT arrangement was used in some other vids on “ danyk666 “ channel uploaded 10 years ago so what’s that all about ? :p :p

[@DiodeGoneWild]

Yes, it's me :). I didn't even realize that I've made this power supply that long ago! Now I feel old...

[@MrPhantomFury]

DiodeGoneWild oh how cool ! Nice videos here & articles on ur website ma man ! I’m loving these high voltage stuff ! Keep it up ! & say hello 2 ur cat too =^.^=

[@solarsynapse]

12:46 Does it need the ground? Is it input mains ground or output RF ground? Both?

[@tunderbird123]

Wow...I wanna see the results!

[@solarsynapse]

I was thinking I could connect the HV out wire of 1 MOT to the core of a second MOT for a series circuit. Insulating and isolating the cores from each other, ie don't mount to a metal platform. I don't understand why the HV secondary is connected to the LV primary.

[@DolezalPetr]

čistě náhodou mám uplně stejný sekundár, 11cm PVC trubka a 60cm výška s tím že vinutí mám 50cm vysoký, takový sekundár dokáže přenést nejvíc 5kW, já do něj pouštím 3kW a blesky slušný, jsou ještě delší když blízko na tyči dáš kouli která je uzemněná, výboje se k ní natahují a kdybys chtěl, tak ten sekundár můžeš dát naležato a uplně brutální blesky budou lítat proti sobě z obou konců (bipolární transformátor), klidně ti pro inspiraci mohu poslat pár fotek zase, pokud tě teda moc nezahlcuji a nenudím :)

[@video99couk]

If there's no next part, we know it all went terribly wrong.

[@markiangooley]

Nowadays there’s at least one other obvious reason, unfortunately...

[@mohamadrezazamani6793]

Ok thanks

[@uwepolifka4583]

The Spark Gap is a really important part. Here are some pictures of quenched spark gaps -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark-gap_transmitter#Quenched-spark_transmitters

[@Broken_Yugo]

Could the doubler circuit that comes with the microwave be used with a single transformer for a small coil?

[@jessicaganser2982]

Yes I think you can...but maby you have to limit the output of the multiplier with a resistor.

[@markpennella]

Great video. Do you have an updated video series ready? It's been 4 years since this one.

[@longosko2]

Jaaj, tak toto je cista nostalgia vidiet ta ako robis TC, pamatam si ked som bol na strednej tak som podla teba bastlil niekolko TC :D

[@andrewsmith3081]

Loving the Tesla coil series, thanks!

[@ronniepirtlejr2606]

It looks shockingly beautiful!

[@leonidaspetridis3744]

how can i make Inductor coil?

[@misamisa4701]

You speak to muuuuuch, but You did say what is main idea with Tesla Coiiiiilll

[@andymouse]

I'm actually starting to get AC.

[@axa122]

i cant pinpoint what accent he is from

[@jp040759]

Good series

[@grima0482]

Would it also be possible to connect two pairs of MOTs to 400V (between two phases) with the two pairs connected in parallel to the 400V mains supply and each pair consisting of 2 MOTs connected in series to run each MOT at 200V which would take them out of saturation. This would reduce the current draw from the MOTs and also reduce the copper losses in the primary windings as well as the eddy current and hysteresis losses in the core.

[@not8994]

How would you match the phase of 3 MOTs?

[@sortofsmarter]

wow.. I now understand magnetic shunts way better... and I dont know if I have the balls to turn that monster on..lol

[@mabul513]

If doing a microwave oven transformer would cutting a slot in I bar and pushed up primary and put steel in air gap would this work better than if you chopped it down to primary coil? What's stronger as cutting a 2mm gap twice in I part of transformer has a lot more steel surface area?

[@tyronenelson9124]

I don't like the fact that one side of the Hv secondary coli is connected to the metal housing of the transformer, what if the earth ground of the microwave oven failed wouldn't the whole microwave casing become live?

[@smiley235]

Hmm, I’ve got a 900VA 9000V neon sign transformer that’s been sitting in the garage for 15 years, this is giving me ideas...

[@psycronizer]

Mr DGW...what about using a spark gap in a partial vacuum ? to get around having to use more M.O.T's and thus making it less lethal ?

[@flaplaya]

Not all neon transformers are center tapped. I owned three franceformer brand 15 kV 45 mA that I would run secondaries in series and get huge drawn out arcs with.. I miss them I was a kid and lost those:(

[@mpholerato1957]

Hei. Would a 12kV, 20mA work just fine also. With 2 secondaries connected in series of course

[@kolinevans9127]

I was going to say there are shunts in a oven trans but I think the fact that the unit primary utilizes up to 100s of Watts just running does not help. I’d love to see a tube version, I’m learning tubes.

[@gabracal]

Why does it seem like everyone wants to build a spark gap tesla coil?? Just look at ElectroBoom's latest video.

[@hugoegon8148]

Very well explained, thank you for the lesson. But I miss your (4 legged) High-Voltage-Security-Expert inspecting the schematics. ;-)

[@FaysalKhalashi]

nice

[@stuffchaneww5605]

you need to change ur voice lel

[@johnoddvar1967]

For safety measuring could you try to put a lightbulb between the 220 input and then conect 220V to the secondary. i think its more safe to use the transformer as a stepdown to measure. I realy love your experiment you learn me a lot. I wasnt wear of this magnetic shunt. We use it in my work, but i have never heard of it before.

[@keithking1985]

i was watching a documentary on termites last night, & it showed an exterminator using a GUN that had long tip with arc's going into the tiny hole's in the wood the termites made. CRAZY!! COOL GUN DHO!! cant wait to see the cap!!

[@kolinevans9127]

Wow at that transformer with the bobbin , never seen that, very nice , but I do find some good things here.

[@cronauer1985]

Are the microwave oven caps polarity sensitive?

[@gabrielhacecosas]

15:10 years ago i made that power supply for my tesla coil and it works very well, it is whole in oil and with some small coils in the secondary to limit the current a little ,and it works very well. nothing gets hot.

[@markiangooley]

At least nowadays nobody uses PCBs, just mineral oil...

[@KuntalGhosh]

put them inside a tub of mineral oil or transformer oil if u can find some ... & use the thermal cutoffs from the microwaves to protect the transformers by putting one on each coil ... and put the whole assembly inside transformer oil .. it would increase the isolation voltage to 20kv per mm

[@KuntalGhosh]

20kv per mm if u use fresh oil and clean the transformers , the oil can also be used to cool the transformers if u do some tubing to all of the coils and add a pump + small radiator , u could use the setup all day long and not overheat !

[@conkerconk3]

how do you know all of this stuff btw? i know you're really good at electronics in general, but do you just do extensively research? (if so... im guessing you didnt just look on the wiki lol)

[@AmitabhAnkur]

He is born engineer.

[@dawsondavis1340]

Pretty sure Electroboom did something like this but used his own HV Capacitor and air core inductor, but let’s see how diode does it

[@Z-Ack]

Yea kinda odd that diode said spark gap last video and what was electrobooms vid about the next day? Kinda fishy.. but youtoobers tend to work together , or at least the good ones., well i guess all those lame fake toobers all gang bang eachother for views themselves so eh..

[@jirichladek7713]

What if there were 1:1 transformers on primary sides of the mots

[@BIGRIP87]

is 150 watt inductor enough for two mot tesla coil ?

[@martinluptak3327]

Zdraví, ak si správne myslím ste z Českej Republiky. Podľa domény a prízvuku. Je to skvelý nápad a koncept. Páčia sa mi videá a angličtina tým, že vďakabohu neprehĺtate ako rodený angličan, porozumie jej každý kto sa ju učí aj ten kto ju vie čo je fantastické. Len tak ďalej, držím palce :) Sorry if I was wrong

[@robertholcombe9456]

Been there done that

[@gcdani271]

Has it to be ac

[@samhoff1724]

Can I use DC flyback with zvs driver?

[@redoverdrivetheunstoppable4637]

well... yes, it's ok for a small one, the best transformers are maybe from PC monitors, they already have an high voltage capacitor inside of like 2nF, its ground is on a separate pin usually, and the positive is always connected to +HV, the capacitor value is around 2nF and you can't change it, otherwise use an external capacitor without connecting (or having) the internal one.... i'm planning to build that

[@jessicaganser2982]

Yes but I would then recomend powerfull flybacks becaus smaler flybacks can overheat.

[@samhoff1724]

I ordered a powerful flyback and made some big capacitors. Thanks for the advice!

[@jkobain]

You mentioned the designs where they swap the capacitor and the spark gap, and guess what type of circuit did ElectroBOOM show us in his latest video?…

[@lancemgy]

@@morganelectronics And EITHER method works just fine, for a Tesla (or Oudin or any resonant air core xformer energized with a spark gap) or a transmitter. Even Tesla himself drew schematics with the gap in series, and given the power levels he was working with, I'm sure he would have been ruining xformers all the time if what DGW says is true.

[@melplishka5978]

Awesome.

[@galileo_rs]

Coooooore, squeeeeeeezed. Painful to listen to.

[@pavelkudrhalt8592]

do you have anything to do with the channel kuba64?

[@38911bytefree]

Brilliant explanation of the magnetic shunt. Thanks !!!

[@ravindratajane4001]

Very good video Sir.. Thank you... Great job... Sir..

[@matyasmichalicka8456]

odkud mas tolik MOTecek? Ja mam doma jedno, ale kdyz jsem hledal dalsi, tak sem se zasekl pri hledani mikrovnlek. nemuzu je nikde sehnat! (P. S. přoč prodlužuješ tolik ty anglický fráze?) EDIT: "Háj voltič Traaaaaaansformer" xdd

[@povorotnetuda2019]

Я думал увижу икры от 4 MOT

[@mare278]

Aaaaaaaj:) :)

[@nowheremanjk8624]

Maybe the next challenge is an arc lamp?

[@leozendo3500]

Very very helpful information.

[@-Crash-Nebula--]

Questi sono i tuo video dal canale croato

[@tetraederzufrequenztesla2342]

Thank you Друг. Part 3 пожалуйста!

[@AnandKumar-ym9yw]

We are waiting for sparks.

[@hugoslav843]

To je prostě super jak vyslovuješ insulation XD.

[@DolezalPetr]

Ještě mě rajcuje například Danykova interpretace výslovnosti slova potenciometer... "POTENŠIOMÝTR" 💛💛💛⚡⚡⚡

[@hugoslav843]

@@DolezalPetr XD

[@legominimovieproductions]

What happens if I cut the earth of my microwave away?

[@oniruddhoalam2039]

If a live wire touches the case, it will also become live and when you touch it, you will get a shock.

[@mushenji]

This is very good.

[@mohammadrezamim272]

What if we use that 3.3v winding as input? 220*(2100/3.3)=🤔

[@DiodeGoneWild]

It just trips the breaker.

[@milanhlavacek6730]

146.37kV actually if the breaker would not trip it would draw a LOT of current and vaporize the mot and propably kill you

[@windigo000]

@@milanhlavacek6730 ... a kdo si tam nastrka hrebiky , vyhori a zacne od piky 🤣

[@7c3c72602f7054696b]

Amazing video!

[@erikziak1249]

Needs more salt...

[@imanb608]

Hi, first of all, great work man keep it going, I have two questions about Spark Gap Tesla Coils, can I use such a neon transformer as my power supply, mine is 15kvAC 30ma 50hz power supply? www.amazon.com/Beennex-MXP-15000-40-Electronic-Transformer-Supply/dp/B088W5JB4P And should I use a full or half-bridge rectifier to charge my cap bank or AC works fine? ( I think according to it's frequency (50hz) I can use my AC power supply with a small spark gap with a discharge frequency more than 50hz)

[@mpholerato1957]

Hei. Did it work when you used this neon transformer?

[@alyo3299]

Will you ever build a DRSSTC

[@DiodeGoneWild]

I already plan to do it. I already order a spool of wire for the secondary, a polypropylene pipe, some IGBT transistors, ...

[@alyo3299]

@@DiodeGoneWild very nice 👍

[@alphadog6970]

injulated 😩😩

[@matid8453]

maybe better option is use zvs and flyback?

[@jessicaganser2982]

Only if you use a very, very old flyback. The other ones have a rectifier inside.

[@matid8453]

@@jessicaganser2982 yes but u can winding coil

[@scratchdog2216]

Decent tutorial. Thanx.

[@creativeinventions8937]

Build then collapse and explodes

[@Yaya-ff8qm]

Plz bro change your way to talk 🙏♥️

[@lancemgy]

EXACTLY! I've since unsubbed unfortunately. Great info, but the way of talking is beyond distracting. Imagine listening to a lecture, or any other narration that's spoken this way.

[@tactileslut]

YOu've shown a room filling spark from a 4kV supply. This one drives the arc with 8kV just because powers of tieu are sieupurr? More seriously, why not limit the primary current with a tungsten lamp?

[@der_cumsportler1022]

16:05 why should the arc jump to the core if the core is not connected anywhere?

[@der_cumsportler1022]

Nevermind! I got it. The voltage can jump through the mains back in the other core :)