The Forgotten 1894 Tesla Coil DIYers Are Building to Fight Rising Power Bills
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The Forgotten 1894 Tesla Coil DIYers Are Building to Fight Rising Power Bills

A retired teacher's surprisingly low power bill, a coil Nikola Tesla patented in 1894, and the DIY plans homeowners are curious about.

Advertorial · This article contains affiliate links. Stories and product claims come from the creator's presentation.

Why does one retired school teacher pay a fraction of what his neighbor pays for electricity, on the same street?

The answer turned out to be a DIY project Gary built himself, inspired by a coil design Nikola Tesla patented in 1894. The free presentation tells the whole story and walks through the build.

Michael Garnett is the man next door, and he couldn't stop asking that question. One summer morning he noticed his neighbor Gary's electric bill sitting on top of the recycling bin. It was a small fraction of what Michael had paid that same month. Same street. Same heat. Same air conditioning running all summer.

So he knocked on Gary's door and asked. Gary walked him around to the back of the house and pointed to a small, quiet project against the garage wall. "Built it myself," he said. Michael tells the whole story, and shows the project, in this free presentation.

Gary isn't an engineer. He's a 61-year-old retired school teacher who likes woodworking and grows tomatoes. And what he built wasn't solar panels or a wind turbine.


Why Your Bill Keeps Going Up Anyway

If Michael's bills sound familiar, you're not alone. Across the country, homeowners are doing what they're told to do and still watching the number climb.

They turn the AC down in July. They wear sweaters indoors all winter. They remind the kids to switch off the lights. And the next bill still comes in higher than the last one.

The usual big fixes aren't for everyone either. Solar can be expensive up front and depends on sunlight. A gas generator is loud and needs fuel. That's why a hands-on project you can build in your own garage caught Michael's attention.


The 1894 Patent Behind the Project

On January 9, 1894, Nikola Tesla was granted US Patent 512,340, titled "Coil for Electro-Magnets". You can read it yourself on Google Patents. Instead of winding a single wire, Tesla laid two wires side by side and wound them together into a flat spiral. This is known as a bifilar coil.

According to the presentation, the idea faded into the history books for more than a century. Today a growing number of home DIYers are building projects around Tesla's winding style in their garages, using parts from the hardware store. The Energy Revolution System plans turn it into a step-by-step home build.


What a Bifilar Coil Actually Is (In Plain English)

A coil is just wire wound in loops. When current flows through it, it creates a magnetic field. That's how electromagnets, motors and transformers work.

Tesla's twist was to wind two wires next to each other and connect the end of the first to the start of the second. Because neighboring turns sit at different voltages, a bifilar coil stores more charge between its windings than a regular coil of the same size. That was the practical goal of his patent: better electromagnets without bulky extra parts.

A coil on its own doesn't create energy. It's one component in a larger build, which is what the plans walk you through. If you like understanding how things work before you build them, the patent itself is a short, readable document.


What's in the Plans

The Energy Revolution System is a set of digital DIY plans, not a physical product. According to the creator, you get:

  • Step-by-step videos and wiring diagrams
  • A parts list for items available at hardware stores
  • Instructions written for beginners, not electricians

The presentation features homeowners who built their own, including Ryan Harris from Austin, Texas, and James Wallace, 71, from Colorado, who built his with his grandkids.

Results vary from home to home and depend on your usage, your build and your utility rates. The testimonials are the creator's.


Is It Worth Your Time?

  • The plans: a one-time $39 for the videos, diagrams and parts list. No monthly fee.
  • The parts: roughly $70 to $210 depending on the size of the build, according to the creator.
  • The risk: sold through ClickBank with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

The presentation is free to watch. You can decide afterwards.


5 Proven Ways to Lower Your Power Bill Today

Whatever you decide about the plans, these simple steps lower almost any household's bill:

  1. Seal air leaks. Weatherstrip doors and caulk window frames. Drafts are one of the biggest sources of wasted heating and cooling.
  2. Set a smarter thermostat schedule. A few degrees up in summer and down in winter while you're asleep or away adds up over a year.
  3. Switch to LED bulbs. They use a fraction of the power of old incandescent bulbs and last for years.
  4. Kill phantom loads. TVs, game consoles and chargers draw power on standby. Put them on a power strip you switch off at night.
  5. Clean or replace HVAC filters. A clogged filter makes your system work harder. Check it monthly in peak season.

DIY Electrical Safety Checklist

If you take on any home power project, keep these rules in mind:

  • Never connect a homemade device to your home's wiring or panel yourself. Have a licensed electrician do it.
  • Check your local electrical codes and any permits your area requires.
  • Work with the power off, use insulated tools, and keep a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fires nearby.
  • If you're ever unsure about a step, stop and ask a professional.

Quick Answers to Common Questions

Do I need to be an electrician? No. The plans are written for beginners with step-by-step videos. For anything that connects to your home's wiring, use a licensed electrician.

Is this a physical product? No. You get digital plans: the videos, wiring diagrams and the parts list. You buy the parts yourself, locally.

How much will it lower my bill? That depends on your home, your usage and your build. Results vary.

What if I change my mind? You're covered by ClickBank's 60-day refund policy.


Is This Project for You?

If you love a hands-on project, this is one of the more interesting builds you can take on in your garage, with a real piece of Tesla history behind it. Watch the presentation, see how Gary did it, and decide for yourself.

Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Names, stories and claims about the product come from the creator's presentation. Results from any DIY project vary, and always follow electrical safety guidance and local codes.