How to Protect Your Car With Lightning

A car is a very valuable asset, and it should be carefully protected from damage or theft. Unfortunately, even the loudest car alarm could not scare off some potential thieves. For a particularly potent security system, then, you can rig your car up to a Tesla coil, and let sparks fly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Tesla coil
• Motor
• Aluminum tube
• Wooden counterweight
• Rental car

1. Acquire a rudimentary Tesla coil, either from a science supply shop or even your own garage: they are rather easy to make.
2. Attach a motorized aluminum tube to the top of the coil, such that the tube rotates 360 degrees, parallel to the ground. As a result, the electricity should travel through the length of the tube, and then spark out dramatically to the ground, forming a circle.
3. Add a wooden counterweight, or anything that isn't conductive, to the bottom of your Tesla coil to ground it. Otherwise, the electricity may transit through the car itself and into the unlucky passenger.
4. Affix your counterweighted Tesla coil to the top of your car, or perhaps a rental. If at all possible, wire a start- and stop-button into the carriage of the car for easy activation.
5. Activate your Tesla coil in the case of carjacking or impending danger.

Tips & Warnings

• This is electricity: ground yourself when working.