ikola Tesla was exploring the nature oftuned circuits resonating at highfrequency and high voltage. He

discovered early in his research that while using a coilof a given wavelength, other coils tuned to this samewavelength or one of its harmonics, would respondin sympathy by spouting its own crown of sparks,even though not physically connected in any way tothe operating coil. Here is an example of transmissionof radio frequency electrical energy over distancewithout wires.

The Mid-America Science Museum’s conical TeslaCoil exhibit (most powerful on earth at 1.5 million-volts) consists of two coils wound in a differentmanner than that of a traditional transformer.However, the Tesla Coil’s air-core design does notutilize the traditional transformer’s iron-core. TheTesla Coil’s primary coil resonates with thesecondary coil because they are tuned to be in stepwith each other electrically. This is accomplished byadjusting the number of turns in the primary coilwinding and the total capacitance in the capacitorbank.

The massive 2 1/2 ton steel Faraday cage is utilizedto protect the public from high-voltage discharges,greatly reduces high frequency emissions and toprotect against any possible communicationdisruptions. It also provides an excellent groundpoint to which high voltage discharges can leap.

This “Caged Lightning” Tesla Coil exhibit is a replicaof the conical coil at the world famous Griffith ParkObservatory in the Hollywood Hills of SouthernCalifornia. Since it’s initial operation in 1937, over25 million visitors have marveled at the unusual andexciting display of lightning-like discharges.

SPECIFICATIONS

Copper Electrode 12” SphereCorona Discharge:

1,500,000 volts A.C.8 to 16 feet to Faraday Cage

Frequency: 85,000 Hertz

Secondary CoilHeight: 48”

Top: 18” dia. Base: 38” dia.360 turns of #14AWGCopper stranded wire

Vinyl insulated

Primary Coil16,000 volts @ 500 amperes

6 turns of 2” wideCopper ribbon

Rotary Spark Gap1,800 R.P.M., salient poleSynchronous motor driven

Pulse repetition rate:240 pulses per second

Capacitor BankExtended-foil

Polypropylene non-PCB0.0625 mfd. @ 80,000 volts

Primary Power SupplyHigh Voltage Transformer16,000 Volts 5000 Watt

Input: 480 volts ACSingle phase, 60 Hertz

Power Supply/Controller(located in pedestal base)

Copper Electrode

Secondary Coil

Primary Coil

Rotary Spark Gap

Power Supply/Controller

Capacitor Bank

Griffith Park Observatory, California

N

HOURS OF OPERATIONMay 1 until Labor Day

9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily

Labor Day until Memorial Day

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday - Sunday

800-632-0583 or 501-767-3461

midamericamuseum.orgSermonFromScience.com HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Tesla Coil Bro 3/29/06 1:15 PM Page 1

Exhibit SponsorsCorporate

Employees and RetireesMatching Gifts Fund

PremierMathias Family Trust

Richard Wesley, Mary EllenDenise Lillian, Deborah Lynn

David Alan

SponsorArkansas Electric Cooperative Corp.

Cecil W. Cupp, Jr.Courtney C. Crouch, Jr.Entergy Arkansas, Inc.

Mid-America Science Museum FoundationRegions Bank

Wal-Mart Foundation

PatronArlington Hotel

Friends of the Museum CommissionKiwanis Club of Greater Hot Springs Village

Majestic Hotel, Museum Volunteers AssociationPD Printing, Riser Ford, Seiz Sign Company

Edward L. BehenMr. & Mrs. Ted Brudniak

Mr. & Mrs. C. H. Guernsey, Jr.Mr. & Mrs. Dave JohnsonMr. & Mrs. John F. Jones

Robert E. LarsonJack Ralph Mathias

Mr. & Mrs. Ken and Gerrie RitchieMr. & Mrs. Warren Seckel

William H. TerboMr. & Mrs. Delbert L. Williamson

Mr. & Mrs. Winston and Ouida Wolfe

SERMON FROM SCIENCEwww.SermonFromScience.com

Electrifying Educational ProgramFree program available forPublic and Private SchoolsContact: Richard W. MathiasE-mail: TeslaCoil@cox.net

Acknowledgements

Exhibit Conceived & Promotedby

RICHARD WESLEY MATHIAS

MARY ELLEN MATHIAS

Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

Tesla Coil Constructedby

WILLIAM C. WYSOCKFounder and President

Tesla Technology ResearchMonrovia, California

Exhibit Designedby

NILES ELLIS

Mid-America Science Museum

Faraday Cage Builtby

KEN EWING AND GIL FRAHMHot Springs Village, Arkansas

500 Mid-America BoulevardHot Springs, Arkansas 71913

(501) 767-3461 or (800) 632-0583midamericamuseum.org

Champion of Electricity“Master of Lightning”

Nikola Tesla was born July 9, 1856, in Yugoslavia andwas educated in Eastern European schools anduniversities. He came to America in 1884 with topeducational honors, fluency in eight languages, and aphotographic memory. Upon arriving in America, byletter of introduction he went to the New Yorklaboratory of Thomas Alva Edison, who immediatelyhired him.After working for Edison for a short while,Tesla became disinterested in Edison’s ongoing workwith direct current and left his employment topursue his own experiments with alternatingcurrent. Edison was staunchly opposed to alternatingcurrent, considering it too dangerous. He made manyattempts to discredit Tesla’s research.

In 1892, Tesla patented his system of wirelesstransmission and reception, three years beforeGuglielmo Marconi. Even today, many textbooks giveMarconi credit for inventing the radio even thoughthe Supreme Court of Review overturned his patentsin 1943 to recognize Tesla as the predominantpioneer in the art.

In 1893, the Chicago World’s Fair utilized theTesla/Westinghouse system of alternating current tolight 250,000 incandescent lightbulbs. Using a TeslaCoil, Tesla passed 1,000,000 volts of high frequencyelectricity through his body to prove to the World’sFair audience that this form of alternating currentwas safe and to demonstrate its unique properties.Alternating current was here to stay and many creditTesla as “father of alternating current.”

Two years later, in 1895, Westinghouse was awardedthe contract to develop and install the first powerplant at Niagara Falls, utilizing the Tesla system ofpolyphase alternating current generators, to deliver

electricity to Buffalo and later to New York City.Thiswas acclaimed to be “the supreme electricalengineering feat of all time.” Of the thirteen patentson these generators, nine were Tesla’s. An impressivestatue of Tesla stands in tribute to his achievementson Goat Island overlooking Niagara Falls.

In 1899, Tesla moved his laboratory to ColoradoSprings, Colorado, where he concentrated on thedevelopment of his famous coil. From May throughDecember of that year, Tesla developed andexperimented with his largest coil. It generatedmillions of volts and consumed 50,000 watts ofpower, producing electrical arcs many feet in length.Tesla was researching methods of transmittingelectricity without the use of traditional wires. Teslasucceeded in lighting two-hundred, 50-wattincandescent lamps twenty six miles away bygenerating an electric field with the Tesla Coil.

Other life-changing and enriching inventionsattributed to Tesla include - turbines, x-rays, radar,alternating current motors, fluorescent lamps andmany other outstanding inventions. However, thetransmission of electrical power by radio waves wasTesla’s greatest dream. With more than 250 patentsto his credit, Tesla died at age 86, literally penniless,in a New York hotel room on January 7, 1943. It israther ironic that a man who gave the world somuch, received so very little for his efforts. He spentthe last years of his life in solitude. Tesla remarked,“The mind is sharper and keener in seclusion andsolitude. It does not cost a million dollars to think,and by thinking, the idea is created.”

Tesla is a riveting journey into the mind and life ofthe eccentric wizard who was Edison’s enemy, MarkTwain’s friend, J. P. Morgan’s client, hero and mentorto many of the 20th century’s most famous scientists.

In final tribute, theInstitute of RadioEngineers said, “Helived in a land ofbrilliant concepts anddreams so lofty as tobe foredoomed -- acatalyst in the realmof technology. Hispassing seems, in asense, to be the endof an epoch.”

Nikola Tesla

“.....The present istheirs. The future,for which I reallyworked, is mine.”

Tesla monument @ Niagara Falls

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSASIN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

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