Hi Zach,
Please don't connect anything to the mains unless you know what you are doing, certainly not a backwards transformer like that, nor a car's ignition coil nor a TV's flyback transformer.
When I was a kid I plugged a bare NE-2 neon bulb into the mains. It disappeared with a bang, and I'm lucky that my vision and fingers didn't disappear too.
Hi Oz,
Electrocution Hazzard?
A store near me has neon all around the window. On the windowsil inside, easily reached by anyone, especially children, are three 12KV/30mA transformers with exposed HV amd mains binding posts!
The owner just laughed when I explained the hazzard. How can I demonstrate the hazzard to her without making her disappear?