Tesla Coils

I had a misconception that the originals were powered by the static electricity around them.

I went to the Griffith park observatory and saw a room sized one which was nothing more than a room sized static globe that you plug in the wall.

What sort of use do Tesla coils have?

Watch a movie called The Prestige for a good demonstration.

Also, the Red Alert series puts them to good use.

You are correct. I was unbeatable long ago when I was a soviet general. I would build those things in a line directly into mine enemy's territory and turn them all into crispy critters.

Any progressive use for them?

Originally posted by nihilismor
I had a misconception that the originals were powered by the static electricity around them.

I went to the Griffith park observatory and saw a room sized one which was nothing more than a room sized static globe that you plug in the wall.

What sort of use do Tesla coils have?

Too bad you missed it. When I went they had a full tesla setup, million volt discharges and all. There was also one at the high voltage lag at Cal Tech, saw that in a hs trip. I really love the Griffith, been going there since my mom took me at the age of 5.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Too bad you missed it. When I went they had a full tesla setup, million volt discharges and all. There was also one at the high voltage lag at Cal Tech, saw that in a hs trip. I really love the Griffith, been going there since my mom took me at the age of 5.

I think possibly that is the one I am talking about. You could push a button to activate it. I guess I was underestimating about how cool it is.

Originally posted by nihilismor
I think possibly that is the one I am talking about. You could push a button to activate it. I guess I was underestimating about how cool it is.

Just out of curiosity, how else would you activate one? Have a great big crank that a tossled white haired lab coated PHd started cranking in the middle of a giant basement?
The Tesla coil is just a transformer but with a tiny difference in the output voltage

There are other high voltage generators, you know about the Van De Graff generator? Google it if you are interested, generates hundreds of thousands of volts based on moving trapped static charges via a leather or rubber belt which is driven by a motor, low current so people do the hair sticking out trick when they get charged up a hundred thousand volts or so. I used to work with 200,000 volt power supplies on my previous line of work as an Ion Implant field service engineer. That was a trip.

Originally posted by nihilismor
I had a misconception that the originals were powered by the static electricity around them.

I went to the Griffith park observatory and saw a room sized one which was nothing more than a room sized static globe that you plug in the wall.

What sort of use do Tesla coils have?

In Melbourne we have a nice show:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scienceworks_Museum_%28Melbourne%29

" The "lightning room" is a 120-seat auditorium that presents demonstrations about electricity, featuring a giant Tesla Coil, capable of generating two million volts of electricity, producing three metre lightning bolts."