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Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
My luck seems to have run away from me when EVER I use this. I have rebuilt it twice but the f*cking IRFP250s just keep blowing and blowing and blowing.
It's probably the SLAs and the inrush current. I now have 8 dead MOSFETs that have been blown to pieces. I just cannot handle the stress that i am going, so i am just going to leave this circuit for a long time before I feel confident with it to try again.
I going to buy some more powerful IGBTs that can stand the power of SLAs. Probably HGTG30N60B3D, 47N60 and 18N120BND.
To be honest, I am scared sh*tless of this particular circuit now.
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Józef C wrote ...
My luck seems to have run away from me when EVER I use this. I have rebuilt it twice but the f*cking IRFP250s just keep blowing and blowing and blowing.
It's probably the SLAs and the inrush current. I now have 8 dead MOSFETs that have been blown to pieces. I just cannot handle the stress that i am going through with this, so I am just going to leave this circuit for a while before I feel confident with it to try again.
I going to buy some more powerful IGBTs that can stand the power of SLAs. Probably HGTG30N60B3D, 47N60 and 18N120BND.
To be honest, I am scared sh*tless of this particular circuit now.
Registered Member #4078
Joined: Tue Aug 30 2011, 12:53PM
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 19
Those MOSFETs should be fine. My ZVS has been running ages with them. 4 x 7Ah SLA batteries in series.
The only problem I had was the ultrafast diodes. What type are yours? They need to be at least 400v. Mine blew up mosfets when it was rated at too low a voltage.
Its also possible that the capacitor is bad. Was it getting warm?
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Any other advice?
I wouldn't believe the MMC would have died because it was quite sturdy with 2x2 MKT caps from filter input boards in microwave ovens. It only got slightly warm.
I must say though the fets blew as I turned it on, not when I was drawing arcs. They blew up instantly when the switch was turned on.
It's really strange though, it worked fine for a 20 second run with 4 fully charged SLAs, however, the Fets blew up when I tested an old small AC flyback. It fixed it and rebuilt it in a neater and more compact way however the fets keep blowing. It's really mysterious...
Are you sure it's not the inrush current? The SLAs were fully charged though. I admit they never blew once when I used it on full power but testing on 24v made them blow ( witht he remade circuit)
Registered Member #3395
Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 08:42AM
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Posts: 193
Alex, I did indeed get my MOSFETs from eBay. How am I supposed to tell if they are fake? I can't buy them from anywhere else becasue they are no shops that stock them or they are just too expensive.
That makes me really concerened. I was planning to buy a lot of powerful fets and IGBTs and I wan't to be sure they are not fake.
The value of my inductor is unknown because I wound it and I do not have a DMM with an inductance function on it.
Registered Member #3943
Joined: Sun Jun 12 2011, 05:24PM
Location: The Shire, UK
Posts: 552
Józef C wrote ...
Alex, I did indeed get my MOSFETs from eBay. How am I supposed to tell if they are fake? I can't buy them from anywhere else becasue they are no shops that stock them or they are just too expensive.
That makes me really concerened. I was planning to buy a lot of powerful fets and IGBTs and I wan't to be sure they are not fake.
The value of my inductor is unknown because I wound it and I do not have a DMM with an inductance function on it.
Well only buying from trusted sellers with good ratings is a good place to start.
Have you tried ordering free samples from semiconductor companies? I got a ton of different components including IRFP260N MOSFET's delivered with in a week for free from Vishay . Although I am not sure if it will be the same ordering from New Zealand, delivery took less than a week to be sent from Germany to here in the UK.
Another thing is if you don't know what inductance your inductor was, try making a bigger one as too small of value can cause the FET's to blow, Vishay also do a 47uH 10amp inductor too that works fine for me.
Oh and as you are using lead acid battery's like me, I recommend always using a fuse in-line with the positive lead to protect the battery's in the event of something going short.
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ZVS Driver not working when fixed with 50N321 IGBTs
