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Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
You sure? It's so hard to choose though... If I get new batteries, I'll have to get three and the charger which would be well over $100. What do you recommend? By the way, do you calculate a ZVS's total power by multiplying the input voltage and current?
Registered Member #2431
Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639
JozefC wrote ...
How do you calculate output power then?
Well I would only feel confident if one were to use an oscilloscpe, channel 1 for the HV wave out (many kV) of the Flyback, then channel 2 could be used to measure current of output (many mA), both traces ( via area under the curve, then VxI ) would then reveal absolute power out with high precision. If you figure out how to do all this without spending 14 million dollars, please let me know, my PhD. in EE may depend on this kind of measurement.
Failing this real method, one could measure the flyback primary V and I. (Again at great risk to killing an O-scope.) This would reveal real power into the flyback, then you could try to geuss a derating factor, and perhaps get a relativley credible number. (Maybe a small tertiary winding, and magnetic circuit calcs)
Measuring Fast HV signals and small currents, which multiply out to big watts... is no simple matter. Though it can be done.
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Hey sorry I haven't been able to test anything new out and diagnose the problem, but I just started high school few weeks ago and the workload is high... Although it's unlikely, I'll try and get back to my ZVS Driver sometime.
Registered Member #3610
Joined: Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:29AM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 506
Double check that everything matches the schematic, one error and it won't start up. I also had a problem the first time around where I happened to use 1% tolerance resistors. They were too identical and the circuit would not reliably start up and resulted in both mosfets being partially turned on.
As for calculating the output, as someone else mentioned you can't really calculate it directly, but this circuit is highly efficient so the output power is pretty close to the measured input power. If you put a resistor between the HV return and ground, a voltage proportional to the output current will develop across it. At the frequency involved cheaper meters will lie though.
As for batteries, SLA are good cheap reliable high current sources. The A-hr rating varies with current though. As the current increases, so do internal losses in the cells, resulting in a lower capacity. Usually the A-hr rating is specified at a particular current. Charging them is easy though, you can make a decent charger with a power supply capable of 14-20V at an amp or so and a LM317 configured to about 13.8V. Lower current is fine, it will just take longer to charge. In a pinch I've used a 12V wall wart with a small incandescent lamp in series to limit the current.
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Sorry I haven't replied for ages. I've caught up with school and doing work in the A stream is pretty busy.
But anyway, I have emailed someone at Bright Sparks NZ for someone who can mentor and help me with my current projects. I saw some pics that Teravolt.org had created his own PCB for the ZVS driver. Yeah well, I was thinking of doing the same thing. My one is too messy and looks dodgy so I'll start again and see how that goes.
EDIT: Just wanted to say that I am freaking jealous of everyone who has awesome ZVS Flyback Drivers... I have to get started on this sometime.
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Ok, here's my plan for the follwong weeks: -Unsolder all components and start off again with an easier way to make it. -Buy 1x 12v 2.2Ah, 2x 12v 4.2Ah SLA batteries for a decent PSU. -If enough resoouces are available, design own PCB and solder everything onto that.
Any advice? This will take awhile because of money limits and scarce time.
Also, I changed the flyback and it still didn't work so it must be the circuits. I wouldn't believe it's a coincidence. What do guys think? Any advice would be gretly appreciated.
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