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Another medium size DRSSTC build underway -now completed

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nixie

Sun May 06 2012, 04:08PM

Registered Member #3908 Joined: Tue May 24 2011, 09:40PM
Location: Gilbert, Arizona USA
Posts: 68

Following the WWT 2012, I had decided to put together a coil that's closely based on Eric Goodchild's published prior work.

This year at Halloween, our family is working to put on a spectacular neighborhood show. One of the seven MIDI driven instruments will be a DRSSTC.

220vac, with a doubler and precharge circuit. A single GDT for the CM600's. Driver is Steve Ward's UD2.1, Interrupter is Phillip Slawinski's MPTCC.

I'll update the thread as the build progresses. All of the components have been acquired. The topload and secondary are completed. I'm now working on the driver and bridge.
Regards, Jeff

EDIT: to fix image link.

Dr. Drone

Sun May 06 2012, 05:05PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

nixie

Fri May 11 2012, 04:31PM

Registered Member #3908 Joined: Tue May 24 2011, 09:40PM
Location: Gilbert, Arizona USA
Posts: 68

Dr. Spark wrote ...

What AWG are you using on the secondary?
Hope to see at W.W.T. 2013! Wonder how many Dr's we can run next year at same time?
Rgs,
Dr. Spark

The wire is Essex GP-MR-200 heavy build polyester top coat in 24AWG. A local distributor had stock in 10lb spools. $68 without tax.
A total of 2025 turns over 45 inches, for an estimated Fo at 37khz. The topload is 46" OD on the largest of the seven rings.

I had cleaned and prepped the 12.75" OD SCH40 PVC to remove any defects/deposits, then applied four heavy coats of fast-dry Polyurethane over a period of a few days. Another four days were given for a final cure.
It was all completed during the period of time we had almost single digit humidity here in the desert. So no trapped moisture.
After winding, it was sealed in a quart of Envirotex Lite. I poured in on very heavy, and then spent an hour chasing exhausted air bubbles from beneath the windings with a heat gun

I had the best results during cure by using a rotation speed of ~15rpm.
Hopefully all of the careful prep work will pay off.

And we'll definitely be there for WWT2013. Thanks!

Regards, Jeff

nixie

Fri Jun 01 2012, 01:27PM

Registered Member #3908 Joined: Tue May 24 2011, 09:40PM
Location: Gilbert, Arizona USA
Posts: 68

Although not part of the audio modulated DRSSTC build itself, it is part of the original Halloween project.
As a recap, the DRSSTC is one of the five automated musical instruments in the performance. The others are bass drums/Cymbal, a Vibraphone, a rack of 21 Cathedral Chimes, a Glockenspiel, and a Synthesizer to produce stringed instrument voices that I cannot automate very easily.

"Danse Macabre"

The chimes open the performance of Danse Macabre; striking low "D" at midnight on Halloween when death permits the dead a gift of reanimation until dawn.
RoboVibes lead the DRSSTC inserts throughout the performance. The original composition by Camille Saints-Saens has been edited as a two minute performance.
Our youngest daughter and three friends will perform a choreographed skeleton dance wearing skeleton bone Morphsuits, illuminated by stage-wide black light lamps.

"Zombie Ballerina"

A Glockenspiel plays a repeating music box introduction. A dead ballerina (our 11yr old) emerges from a standing coffin, illuminated as a skeleton by an animated GIF image from a projector that changes to normal lighting. During the transformation, the DRSSTC opens into the composition. She completes her choreographed routine and returns to her coffin at the end, as the music box winds down. The animated gif projection reverses her back to a skeleton. This is a composition originally part of Danny Elfman's "Edward Scissorhands" soundtrack, heavily edited, with additional material added.

I hope you like them.
Regards, Jeff

Tetris

Fri Jun 01 2012, 03:41PM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

wow that's a huge DRSSTC! but are you going to actually play the drums or automate it? Ha you'll be the talk of the neighborhood on Halloween! Even a jacobs ladder impresses people, now put a 7 foot tall drsstc in front of them, add other stuff, you're going to be in the newspaper! :P

nixie

Mon Aug 27 2012, 05:52PM

Registered Member #3908 Joined: Tue May 24 2011, 09:40PM
Location: Gilbert, Arizona USA
Posts: 68

It's been a couple of months since this project thread was updated.

As a recap, I decided to assemble a 10kva DRSSTC that was closely based on Eric Goodchild's prior work.
He'd done a fine job of publishing images of his work. And was very helpful along the build process.
I'm a semi-retired PE, and needed a DR coil for the upcoming Halloween extravaganza.

I was ready to light it up. And Eric had just returned to ASU to continue his studies. Lucky me. Eric graciously offered to come over to our home and tune it on Saturday.
Evidently it was DÃ©jÃ vu; I'd done a fine job of duplicating his DRSSTC. Following a little phase lead adjustment, and *one* primary tap move, it came to life.
We used Eric's controller for the MIDI portions in the video. I was having trouble with mine.
It ran very well, aside from some breakout on the top load rivet heads. Some images of the build follow, along with the requisite "first light" video. It supports 1080p too.
My sincere Thanks to Eric, Steve Ward, and Dr. Spark for making this happen.

Dr1

The total height is 2.3m (90in)

Dr2

Topload support is a structural PVC item.

Dr3

Milled polycarbonate primary supports and cover sheet. The hard plywood platforms were covered in white laminate, with a black poly edge bead.
Platform supports are molded structural PVC, same as the top load. Casters are Harbor Fleight (chinese prison labor made).

Dr4

Box contains LV transformer for UD2.1 / DC fans to cool the MMC.
One fan died on the first light. Ebay kwality.

Dr5

Very familiar CM600 bridge design. Milled copper blocks, copper busbars, Feedback and OCD toroids are a direct copy.
Wire between bridge, MMC, and primary is 3/0 fine strand welding cable.

Dr6

The MMC enclosure was thermally formed from a polycarbonate sheet.

Dr7

Four 120vac fans to try and keep the CM600 bridge cool in these AZ summer temps.

Dr8

And Steve Ward's UD2.1, driving a single full bridge GDT. The regulators are remoted on heat sink bar, and box is shielded with aluminum screen on fan / vent holes.

Regards, Jeff

Dr. Drone

Wed Aug 29 2012, 04:50AM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

Goodchild

Wed Sept 05 2012, 12:32AM

Registered Member #2292 Joined: Fri Aug 14 2009, 05:33PM
Location: The Wild West AKA Arizona
Posts: 795

Just think 3 near identical 12Kw DRSSTC all running at once, with the cage of death smack in the middle of all 3 getting pounded with sparks and music. It will be one sight to see and I can't wait!

Matt Edwards

Wed Sept 05 2012, 01:00AM

Registered Member #2838 Joined: Fri Apr 30 2010, 07:55PM
Location: tehachapi, CA
Posts: 333

love it!

Dr. Drone

Thu Sept 06 2012, 06:54PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

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