oneTesla tinyTesla User Manual

© 2016 oneTesla LLC

tinyTesla User Manual

Version 1.6

IUser ManUal v1.6

Running list of errata

You are currently reading version 1.6 of the tinyTesla User Manual. Before continuing, go to onetesla.com/downloads and check
that v1.6 is the most up-to-date version. If not, download the errata or the latest version of the manual. This page will be continuously
updated with corrections.

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

Early kits may have the following extra parts, which are erroneous and may be omitted:
n female molex connector
n one surplus large ring terminal
n one surplus 6mm screw

In v1.0 of the manual, on page 3, the color code for the 68Ω resistors R2 and R3 was

incorrect. The correct color code is blue gray black.

In Step 6-J, regarding the ber optic receiver, kit builders have noticed that soldering this

component at too high a temperature can damage it. We are not exactly sure of the
proper temperature range, but we recommend soldering at no higher than 400°C.

An extra IGBT testing procedure has been added to Step 15.

Some kits have stability issues with the USB interrupter. There are several xes for this
problem, which relates to the Zener diodes. The rst option is to use a USB 3.0 port and

omit the Zener diodes. The second option is to replace the 3.3V Zener diodes with 3.6V
Zener diodes. Contact us at [e-mail] if you need them sent to you.

If you receive extra parts outside of the kit in your shipping box, they are for use in place
of the parts in the kit. In particular, some shipments have replacement Zener diodes for
the interrupter.

June 2015

September 2015

May 2016

Note added to glue down the bolt in the endcap during assembly.

In Step 15, multimeter check of IGBTs section, sentence changed from “Meter between
pins 1 and 3 of X1, the large 3-pin connector. You should read open.” to “You should not
read a dead short.“

Properly sized heat sink template added.

Removed references to the tinyTesla interrupter chassis as it is purely cosmetic and will

no longer be included in the kit.

References to heat shrink removed, please use eletrical tape instead.

The secondary should read approximately 450Ω, not 600.

15V should be on pin 6, not 8 of the UCC27425.

Primary wire is no longer Teflon.

Fuses are now 4A instead of 2A.

Please check IC5, the LM7815 15V voltage regulator. Some kits may have an LM7915
instead, which will not work. Please contact us for a replacement at [e-mail].

IIUser ManUal v1.6

Welcome!

With tinyTesla you’ll learn about electronics, ex your soldering

muscles, shoot lightning, and play music using electricity!

A Tesla coil is a device that uses resonant circuits and alternating
current to produce extremely high voltages. Originally invented by
Nikola Tesla in the late 1800s, Tesla coils have progressed from
spark-gap circuits to designs involving modern solid-state
switching devices such as MOSFETs and IGBTs. While there are
many types of Tesla coils, what they all have in common are
air-cored induction coils. Using a Tesla coil is the best way to
produce a continuous high-voltage streamer.

We’ve designed a Tesla coil kit that’s both easy to build and
beautiful. tinyTesla is an SSTC, or “solid state Tesla coil,” which
balances performance, musical ability, and reliability.

But be careful! Building hardware can be tricky if you’re
inexperienced or don’t have the proper equipment. Work with
good tools, pay close attention, and ask for help when you
need it.

Most of all, have fun!

Need help?

Go to our support forum at

onetesla.com/forum

Need replacement parts? Contact us at

[e-mail]

Check out all of our educational tutorials at

onetesla.com/tutorials

Check out our other kits at

www.onetesla.com!

Note: We try our best to keep all images and
instructions consistent with the latest revision
of the tinyTesla hardware, but the photos in
this manual and on our website are not always
identical to the components you receive in
your kit. They will, however, maintain the
same functionality.

What’s in the tinyTesla kit?

Feedback antenna

Primary coil

USB-MIDI
interrupter (shown
here with chassis
that is no longer
included in the kit)

Fiber optic
transmitter

Fiber optic receiver

Spun aluminum
toroid

Breakout point

Secondary coil

AC power cable

Fiber optic cable

1User ManUal v1.6 1

Safety Warnings Adult Supervision Required

ADULT

SUPERVISION

REQUIRED

ADULT

SUPERVISION

REQUIRED

Users under 18 should only use this kit under the supervision of
an experienced adult.

Pacemaker Warning

Persons with electronic medical implants such as pacemakers
should not be near the Tesla coil during operation. EMI from the
coil may interfere with the pacemaker’s function.

Ozone Warning

The high temperature of the Tesla coil streamers causes the
gases that make up air to form other compounds, including ozone
(which can often be smelled when the coil is in operation) and
nitrogen oxides. Keep the Tesla coil work area well-ventilated to
prevent the buildup of irritating gases such as ozone and nitrogen
oxides, which become toxic if concentrated.

Fire Hazard

The arcs from the Tesla coil can set ammable objects on re.
Keep all ammable objects away from the Tesla coil while it is in

operation.

Ear Protection Recommended

The Tesla coil output is loud! Ear protection is recommended.

Eye Glasses Required

Always wear eye protection while soldering. Power
semiconductors may overheat and fail violently, causing a
shrapnel hazard. Wear safety glasses when working on the board
while it is energized. Only power up the board when it is fully
enclosed inside the chassis.

RF Warning

Keep sensitive electronics away from the Tesla coil at all times.

Use the entire length of the included ber optic cable to distance

your computer from the Tesla coil.

2User ManUal v1.6

Before you begin

Be up-to-date

Ensure you have the latest version of the manual, and
if not, download the errata sheet or the newest version at
onetesla.com/downloads.

Read the tutorials

All of our tutorials can be found at onetesla.com/tutorials

n Soldering tutorial
n De-soldering tutorial
n How a Tesla coil works
n Heat sink hardware installation
n Main board’s logic component installation
n Low voltage driver board test
n Main board’s power component installation
n IGBT installation

Observe good workspace practices

n Keep your workspace neat and orderly.
n Always obey common sense.
n Do not continue work if at any point you feel

uncomfortable with the hazards a challenging electronics

project poses.

n Use caution when soldering! Lead is hazardous, and

the iron is extremely hot.

Use the right equipment

Having the proper tools for electronic assembly, particularly a
powerful enough soldering iron, will make your life much easier!
Here are the tools you need to assemble your Tesla coil:
n temperature-controlled soldering iron, 40W minimum
n rosin-core solder of an appropriate thickness
n safety glasses
n small pliers
n ush cutters
n wire strippers
n small screwdriver
n hot glue gun
n multimeter

Optional but useful:

n packing tape

n masking tape
n solder wick or other desoldering tools

You will also need....

n spray-on or paint-on polyurethane varnish

n a mini USB cable to connect to the tinyTesla interrupter
n a laptop running 1T Panel or other MIDI control software

STEP 1: Assemble the interrupter

The interrupter is the Tesla coil’s music controller. It connects via a mini USB cable to a

computer, and appears as a MIDI device. Assemble it rst because you will need to use

it to ensure the low-voltage side of the main driver board is working. The interrupter is
also a small board with few parts, which—if soldered correctly—should work right away.

A. Install R1 through R4.
B. Install C1.
C. Install CN1, the mini USB connector.
D. Install zener diodes D1 and D2. Note that they are directional! Match the band

on the diode to the band on the board. Don’t confuse them with the 1N4148

signal diodes, which look the same except for their part number.
E. Install the socket of IC1. Do not solder the ATtiny directly to the board! Make
sure that the notch on the socket matches the notch on the board. Do not
solder the socket with the ATtiny inserted!
F. Insert the ATtiny into its socket, making sure that the dot on the chip is on the
same side as the notch on the socket.
G. Install IC2, the optical transmitter. Be careful! This component is delicate.
Secure it with a bolt and nut before soldering it in.
H. Install the slide switch.

Don’t worry, the ATtiny microcontroller in your kit is already programmed. If you ever
need to re-program your ATtiny, install a 6-pin header. Since your ATtiny comes
programmed, we didn’t include one.

R1

R2, R3

R4

C1 1uF (labeled 105)

CN1 mini USB connector

D1, D2 3.3V Zener Diodes

IC1 ATtiny and socket

IC2 optical transmitter

1.5kΩ (brown green red)

68Ω (blue grey black)

100Ω (brown black brown)

slide switch

3User ManUal v1.6

STEP 2: Troubleshoot the interrupter

The interrupter is powered over USB and can be controlled using our 1T Panel software
available for download at onetesla.com/downloads. You will need a mini USB cable to
connect to the interrupter. It behaves like a MIDI device and can also be controlled via
other MIDI software. See Appendix A for a description of 1T Panel.

The interrupter has two modes: Live mode (switch to the right) and Fixed mode (switch
to the left). Note: every time you want to switch modes, you need to power cycle (unplug
and plug back in) the interrupter.

Place the switch in the Live mode position (right-hand side). This places the interrupter

into MIDI mode. Using a mini USB cable, connect the interrupter to a computer. Conrm

that the USB device is recognized and does not throw an error. Use 1T Panel to raise and

lower the power and conrm that the LED in the ber optic transmitter raises and lowers

in brightness accordingly.

The interrupter set to
Live mode. Flip the
switch to the left for
Fixed mode.

If it doesn’t work

USB device is not
recognized or
drops out...

Interrupter doesn’t
respond to
software...

n Conrm the ATtiny is installed in the correct orientation.
n Check all parts carefully for correct values and orientations.
n Check your soldering for bridges and/or cold joints.
n Unplug all other USB devices.
n If the interrupter drops out when you handle the USB cable,

check your soldering of the USB connector.

n Try a dierent computer to compare results.
n (early kits) Replace your 3.3V Zener diodes with 3.6V Zener

diodes. If using a USB 3.0 port, you can omit the Zeners
altogether.

n Ensure that the software you’re using is transmitting on MIDI

channel 0.

n Ensure that the software you’re using is outputting to the

appropriate USB port.

Need help?

If you encounter a problem that isn’t covered
here, take a look at our online help forum at
onetesla.com/forum. Someone else may

have had the same problem and gured out

a solution.

Please post on the forum rather than emailing
us for support, so that everyone can learn from
how you resolved your problem!

4User ManUal v1.6

STEP 3: Varnish the Secondary

Your secondary coil needs a few thick insulating layers to keep it safe. A polyurethane paint-on or spray-on
varnish works great. Coat your coil in at least three layers of varnish. It’s better to start this process early to
allow enough time for the varnish to dry (typically one night per coat). Don’t skip this step! An unvarnished
secondary will arc over immediately, even at low power.

If you want a quick way to increase your insulating layer thickness, add some packing tape to your coil. Be very

careful to remove all the air bubbles under the tape! To increase the eectiveness of the tape, cut the edge at a

steep angle. The seam of the tape is the most likely place to have arcing, and cutting at a shallow angle

increases the seam length, increasing the distance the sparks have to jump.

STEP 4: Install hardware on the heat sink

We will take a brief interlude from soldering to attach some hardware on the heat sink.
Since the IGBTs are mounted on the underside of the board, once we install them we
can’t easily remove the circuit board to get access to the heat sink. To view a tutorial
showing exactly how to do this, visit http://onetesla.com/tutorials.

A. Install four 6mm standos into the holes near the edge of the heat sink.
B. Fasten the right-angle brackets to the heat sink using a 6mm M3 screw through

the unthreaded hole in the bracket. The threaded holes should be on the side
perpendicular to the surface of the heat sink!

Threaded hole

Need a diagram?

Go to Appendix B.

5User ManUal v1.6

STEP 5: Install the Main Board’s

Logic Components

Step A: installation of

resistor R1.

We’re splitting up the main board assembly process into two steps so that you can
clearly see which components are related to the main board’s logic vs. its power. If
you wish, you can troubleshoot the main board’s logic after this step to ensure that
your construction is correct so far, but you can also install it all at once and
troubleshoot the whole system all together later. To view a tutorial showing exactly
how to do this, visit http://onetesla.com/tutorials.

A. Install R1. Note that it stands on its end (see image on right).
B. Install C1—C3, 100uF electrolytic capacitors. You may need to straighten

the leads to have them t properly. Note the direction! There’s a white band

on the negative side, and positive is marked on the board.
C. Install capacitors C6—C9. They are all 1uF ceramic capacitors labeled 105
whose installation direction do not matter.
D. Install D1 and D2, the 1N4148 signal diodes. Note that they are directional,

and the band on the diode needs to match the band on the board.

E. Install D3, the logic-side bridge rectier.
F. Install sockets for IC2 and IC5. Match the notch on the socket to the notch

on the board. Remember, don’t solder the ICs directly to the board!

G. Insert the ICs into their respective sockets. Remember to match the spot
on the IC to the notch on the socket and the board!
H. Install IC3 and IC4, the 15V and 5V voltage regulators. Don’t confuse the
two! They look the same except for the part number.

R1 4.7Ω (yellow violet gold gold)

C1–C3

C6–C9

D1, D2

D3

IC2

IC3

IC4

IC5

T1

X1

100uF electrolytic capacitor

1uF ceramic capacitor (105)

1N4148 signal diode

Logic-side bridge rectier

14-pin socket

8-pin socket

Schmitt trigger inverter 74HCT14

LM7815 15V voltage regulator

LM7805 5V voltage regulator

Dual Gate Driver UCC27425PE4

Phase jumpers and 2-pin header

110V jumper

Optical receiver

Line transformer (110V or 220V)

3.96mm 3-pin header

I. Install the 2-pin headers labeled JPHASE on the board and slide on the

jumpers. The direction of the jumpers doesn’t matter for now.
J. Install the optical ber receiver. Be careful! This component is delicate.

Soldering this component at too high a temperature can damage it. We

recommend soldering at no higher than 400°C. Secure it with a 10mm bolt

and M3 nut before soldering it in.
K. Verify that T1, the line transformer, is rated for the appropriate voltage for

your country (110V or 220V). Then solder it in. Please note that the top

middle hole is a via that connects the top and the bottom sides of the

board, not a hole for a T1 pin.
L. Install X1, the AC power connector.

Optional Logic Troubleshooting

At this point, you can follow the troubleshooting procedure in step 15 to verify that

your work so far is correct. You should rst mount your board onto the heat sink.

If you’re condent in your soldering abilities, you can just continue and troubleshoot

later if necessary.

Why the pre-soldered component?

The pre-soldered part on your board is a surface
mount gate drive transformer (GDT). It’s tricky
to solder this component by hand with a regular
soldering iron so we did it for you using a heat gun.
Through-hole gate drive transformers are bulky, and
using this little surface-mount one was the only way
we could keep your driver board tiny!

At the end of the step, your board should look
like this.

6User ManUal v1.6