Design and Construction of Tesla Transformer for testing on Suspension Type Insulator Class 52-3

This paper presents the design and construction of a Tesla transformer used for an electrical flashover test of a suspension insulator. The testing waveform of the Tesla transformer is contained based on the resonance circuit. Tesla transformer circuit uses inductive coupling of a primary voltage inductor of 3.75 μH, primary voltage capacitor of 109.4 nF, secondary inductor of 8.106 mH, and high voltage capacitor in the form of toroid and suspension insulator. The simulation and experimental results of the Tesla transformer present the appropriateness of the main design parameters. The rated voltage and frequency of the developed are 250 kV and 200 kHz, respectively. The insulators under test are suspension type ANSI 52-3. It is found that the Tesla transformer can generate high voltage with a frequency of about 200 kHz (160 to 220 kHz) and make flashovers on the insulators according to the ANSI C29.1 standard.