[moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")

Ken M., Mon Apr 09 2007, 05:21PM

Well after getting my SSTC to run I decided I would try to switch some parts to allow more versatility and so I could try some ideas namely Interuptors and most of all Audio modulation. Right no it works using Steve Wards Micro SSTC driver with a 4429 instead of a 4420, removed 1 resistor and subbed another resistor for a 12turn trim pot. I decided I would try to use an interupt to see how it would effect me coil...well after setting the 555 to Fres of the coil I swapped out the 4429 for UCC37322, and tied the enable pin high so it would act like 4429. However the coil doesn't resonate anymore, Anyone have any idea why it doesn't work?

Edit: Changed all the DRSSTC to just SSTC upon correction of TC description.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Steve Ward, Tue Apr 10 2007, 01:26AM

The 4429 is an inverting driver and is generally NOT a good idea for the micro *SSTC* (youve been calling it a DRSSTC, and its technically not). If things fail to oscillate, it will just hold the MOSFET ON, and short out the power supply. The 37322 is a NON-inverting driver. So to make it work with the new non-inverting driver, then you need to swap your primary connections.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Ken M., Tue Apr 10 2007, 07:30AM

Well I was successfully able to exchange some parts and turn in into kind of a Class E, yet again simmilar to Steves. Now an odd situation has arisen, It will only resonate if my had in between the antenna and the coil, where as the old system let me just start it up and it would resonate, any ideas on how to get it to esonate at all times while power is applied, without my hands being near the antenna?
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Brett Miller, Tue Apr 10 2007, 03:35PM

WhiteArc,

I built that project as my introduction to solid state tesla coiling as well (now I am working on designing my 3rd SSTC -- possibly a dual resonant)...it sounds like placing your hand near the antenna is causing your body to become an extention of your antenna and enabling it to more easily "see" the e-field of your MicroSSTC. You may want to try going with a longer antenna. Some like 12" or so.

-Brett
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Ken M., Wed Apr 11 2007, 02:44AM

Thanks for the suggestion Brett, I tried it and it didn't work mistrust so I went back to the same antenna I was using Heres the wayI have it set up with a 555 timer and it works just needs fine tuning from time to time.
Link2

But heres what I'm trying to do
Link2
And I have the unmodulated output to almost exactly the same as the out put waveform to waveform with the 55t imer circuit still using the 4429, and it doesn't even come close to resonating.

I was even thinking of combining the outputs at the input of the 4429 but he waveform gets all shaky. I'm unable to figure out why it won't work.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Ken M., Sun Apr 15 2007, 03:48AM

Ok got my coil aduio modulated thanks to Mike for linking his set up to modulate the signal, Brett for suggesting a longer antenna, all the test equipment i had connect (O-scope and Amp meter) where causing some resonate issues, and Steve for the primary swap suggestion and correcting me about the DRSSTC thing.

Heres the ultra simple schematic. (Hope noone minds me photoshopping the images together tongue)

AudioTC
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Experimentonomen, Mon Aug 06 2007, 09:28AM

Wouldent it be better to PWM the enable pin, rather than sending analog signals to it ?
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Dalus, Mon Aug 06 2007, 10:25AM

That's asking for the hard way, surely it would be better to pwm the enable pin and it would sound better, but this will work good enough for most people.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Steve Conner, Mon Aug 06 2007, 01:20PM

The transistor amplifier there is configured for such high gain that it will be more or less a zero-crossing detector. So I doubt the enable pin will be getting too much of an "analog" signal.

It also won't be too thermally stable. Bet you have to keep tweaking that 50K pot?
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Marko, Mon Aug 06 2007, 01:31PM

Even if it did get analog signal I don't see what good would it do. It would still behave as a schmitt trigger of sorts.

If you want audio modulation, best options for now seem to be PLL or SG3525, a half or full bridge with some *really* good free wheeling diodes and relatively low operating frequency, <200kHz.

Single transistor circuit like this is rather a poor solution. Transistor will see very high voltage while it is off, burn lots of energy in avalanching and die after a while if it's not cooled well
enough.

Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Experimentonomen, Mon Aug 06 2007, 05:27PM

Thats what i thought.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Dalus, Tue Aug 07 2007, 11:02AM

Is it possible to use a comparator to modulate a self tuning sstc .Which has the audio signal on the + input and a carrier signal of lets say 100Khz on the - input. The output should now be a modulated 100Khz signal which you can feed to the enable pin's of your gate drivers. It will surely be more efficient if it works.
The only problem might be that the feedback can't get a clean signal anymore.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Experimentonomen, Tue Aug 07 2007, 12:48PM

Easy solution, wind this same pwm signal wire around the antenna.
Re: [moved] Audio Modulation Circuit Problem (was "What am I doing wrong here?")
Ken M., Wed Aug 08 2007, 08:47PM

This is amusing some how this topic got up again, and steve no I don't need o tweak the pot becasue the transistor explodes not sure why yet but it does, and so far the the TC is disassembled for parts of teh bigger SStc, although the secondary and primary are still intact.