Build Your Own Frequency-Adjustable Plasma Ball with Arduino Nano

Every part needed, pre-tested for compatibility, with an AI build companion trained on this exact project. Shipped from Bengaluru in 3-5 days.

There’s a whole physics lab hiding inside a plasma ball — and with this kit, you’ll trigger those luminous tendrils on your own terms. The 555 timer SMPS pushes a ferrite transformer to generate the high voltages that excite the tube, while the Arduino Nano reads a potentiometer and adjusts the MOSFET gate signal to control brightness. You’re not just assembling parts; you’re learning how switch-mode power supplies, high-frequency oscillation, and microcontroller feedback loops work together in one glowing desktop centrepiece.

What You'll Build

You’ll assemble a fully operational plasma ball that responds to a twist of a knob — brighter, dimmer, and with a subtle shift in the arc pattern as the frequency changes. The sturdy HV safety enclosure keeps everything insulated, so you can display it in your lab or at a school science exhibition without worry. Every time you power it on, you’ll see the result of real engineering decisions: gate drive timing, transformer winding ratios, and ADC mapping.

What You'll Learn

• Design a 555 timer-based push-pull SMPS to drive a ferrite transformer at high frequency
• Control MOSFET switching with Arduino PWM and modulate output brightness safely
• Read analog values from a potentiometer and map them to duty cycle using code
• Build a high‑voltage enclosure that meets school-lab safety practices

Kit Contents

Why Buy This Kit Instead of Sourcing Parts Separately

Who This Kit Is For

This intermediate project is a natural fit for CBSE Class 12 students tackling high-voltage physics demonstrations, B.Tech ECE/EEE undergraduates experimenting with power electronics, and ATL Tinkering Lab mentors guiding advanced embedded projects. Smart India Hackathon teams building energy-efficient displays will find the SMPS core immediately applicable, while makers at IIT, NIT, VIT, and BITS Pilani use it to sharpen their analog and mixed-signal design skills.

Built and Backed by Compoden

Every Compoden kit ships with an AI build companion trained on this exact project — accessible via a QR code on the box, with WhatsApp and email backup. We've spent 10 years building projects for makers, schools, and institutions across India. If a part fails because of a manufacturing defect, replace it free within 7 days.

Choose your assembly option:

• Soldering Kit — 25W soldering iron, 60/40 solder wire, flux, and small perfboard for permanent assembly.
• Breadboard Combo — 800-point full-size breadboard with 65-piece jumper wire pack for solderless prototyping.