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Registered Member #2919
Joined: Fri Jun 11 2010, 06:30PM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 652
There are some giant 100 uF Eurofarad snubber-ish thingies (but not snubbers, I think) on Ebay; one of those should work. I would use an inverter to run a ferrite transformer for this application. Turn down the duty cycle and no smoke will be released. Alternatively, I think there are some cheap 1A laser cap-chargers on Ebay that you could use.
Registered Member #2893
Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
I decided to go the lightbulb route after I figured out a clever way to hold the thing. Now I can easily swap between 150W, 300W and 500W just by popping in a different bulb.
So it's done and it works. Problem is, it works too well. Stupid CW equations never work right; I'm getting 1050V instead of 680. That's not too big of a problem though since I can just kill the power to it before the bank exceeds 700V. To disconnect the charger from the bank you pull on the clip lead wire that connects it to the bank. I'll add the IGBT some other time.
Next step: The pneumatic contactor.
As for an inverter bwang; I'm sick of mosfets right now.
Registered Member #2893
Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
Well it does charge the caps, but a bit too slow for my taste. I think I'll parallel 2 halogen lamps, because I don't think this is charging at 500W. About 12 volts every second is where it's at right now.
Well, was at... kinda killed the diodes. If I order some today they should be here by wednesday. In the meantime I jury-rigged some less beefy diodes in there.
@forty I think that's what I might do, probably would let more current through too. Wonder how I can clean the hot glue off the wood if I end up ripping off 2 caps...
Registered Member #2893
Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
Never! >:V
It's done now anyway. Problems ID'd and solved:
*Diodes were dying when there was a voltage differance between the charger and cap bank. Huge currents flowed and melted the junctions. That was solved by a 30 ohm output resistor.
*Bleeder was too big; put a smaller value resistor in there.
*The lack of an output switch was causing the diodes to get fired by back EMF or something when the bank discharged. That was solved with a relay. Also replaced the SSR with a regular relay because I like the clicky sound.
*With new diodes and one stage gone the bank charges in 40 seconds. With another lightbulb I could cut down that time even more.
All and all I like the charger. It's now 100% gren-proof and therefore fool-proof. It's as safe as it can possibly be, with the entire HV side isolated from ground. Plus that 60HZ hum is win.
Registered Member #2893
Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
Well barry's wedge idea doesn't work. With 3kj into a HDD platter launcher I can get no better than 18 feet, and there is a loud boom when the switch closes. Looks like most of the energy is being lost in the switch.
Now I have a big cap bank and no way to switch it. I is depressed...
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