If you need assistance, please send an email to forum at 4hv dot org. To ensure your email is not marked as spam, please include the phrase "4hv help" in the subject line. You can also find assistance via IRC, at irc.shadowworld.net, room #hvcomm.
Support 4hv.org!
Donate:
4hv.org is hosted on a dedicated server. Unfortunately, this server costs and we rely on the help of site members to keep 4hv.org running. Please consider donating. We will place your name on the thanks list and you'll be helping to keep 4hv.org alive and free for everyone. Members whose names appear in red bold have donated recently. Green bold denotes those who have recently donated to keep the server carbon neutral.
Special Thanks To:
Aaron Holmes
Aaron Wheeler
Adam Horden
Alan Scrimgeour
Andre
Andrew Haynes
Anonymous000
asabase
Austin Weil
barney
Barry
Bert Hickman
Bill Kukowski
Blitzorn
Brandon Paradelas
Bruce Bowling
BubeeMike
Byong Park
Cesiumsponge
Chris F.
Chris Hooper
Corey Worthington
Derek Woodroffe
Dalus
Dan Strother
Daniel Davis
Daniel Uhrenholt
datasheetarchive
Dave Billington
Dave Marshall
David F.
Dennis Rogers
drelectrix
Dr. John Gudenas
Dr. Spark
E.TexasTesla
eastvoltresearch
Eirik Taylor
Erik Dyakov
Erlend^SE
Finn Hammer
Firebug24k
GalliumMan
Gary Peterson
George Slade
GhostNull
Gordon Mcknight
Graham Armitage
Grant
GreySoul
Henry H
IamSmooth
In memory of Leo Powning
Jacob Cash
James Howells
James Pawson
Jeff Greenfield
Jeff Thomas
Jesse Frost
Jim Mitchell
jlr134
Joe Mastroianni
John Forcina
John Oberg
John Willcutt
Jon Newcomb
klugesmith
Leslie Wright
Lutz Hoffman
Mads Barnkob
Martin King
Mats Karlsson
Matt Gibson
Matthew Guidry
mbd
Michael D'Angelo
Mikkel
mileswaldron
mister_rf
Neil Foster
Nick de Smith
Nick Soroka
nicklenorp
Nik
Norman Stanley
Patrick Coleman
Paul Brodie
Paul Jordan
Paul Montgomery
Ped
Peter Krogen
Peter Terren
PhilGood
Richard Feldman
Robert Bush
Royce Bailey
Scott Fusare
Scott Newman
smiffy
Stella
Steven Busic
Steve Conner
Steve Jones
Steve Ward
Sulaiman
Thomas Coyle
Thomas A. Wallace
Thomas W
Timo
Torch
Ulf Jonsson
vasil
Vaxian
vladi mazzilli
wastehl
Weston
William Kim
William N.
William Stehl
Wesley Venis
The aforementioned have contributed financially to the continuing triumph of 4hv.org. They are deserving of my most heartfelt thanks.
Registered Member #3926
Joined: Fri Jun 03 2011, 08:32PM
Location: UK.
Posts: 525
I made a flyback driver a while back with an old cheapy ATX PSU, that was around 380W~ (12v x 32a), and with other ferrite cored SMPS's. While this gave pretty powerful flyback arcs they would not last more than 5 minutes, the problem was HV coming back into the powersupply, how do I stop this from hapening, then if I'm correct this will be a good way to power a flyback for HV.
To power the flyback you directly solder wires on the secondary part of the transformer inside the PSU, this is unrectified, unregulated HFAC. I assume.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
EDIT: This post is incorrect. I've posted again further down the thread,
(Hi Platinum, my guess is that you need to put a resistor in series with the arc. I don't think it's a problem of HV getting back into the power supply, but more a problem created by by-passing the the regulator circuitry in the power supply, and drawing too much current.
This is fine for a couple of minutes, until the 'fets (or whatever) overheat.
This is just a guess though, others may have other suggestions.)
Registered Member #4074
Joined: Mon Aug 29 2011, 06:58AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 335
Would this be similar to powering a flyback off the HF output of a low voltage halogen PSU? I tried this when I removed an old HF halogen transformer from the ceiling, but at 24VA input I didn't get anything but the faintest spark from a variety of flybacks. Even when I held both the output lead and ground in my hand I couldn't feel any current flow. I guess it was putting out about 1000v at a few uA.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
Platinum wrote ...
In series with the arc? What resistor should I use? I'm not sure if I even have some resistors anymore.
Hang on....I should remember not to post after drinking.
There are two issues here, I think. If you add a resistor to restrict current from the power supply, place it in series with the primary of the flyback. I assume you are by-passing the regulator circuit in the power supply.
The other issue could be voltage spikes from the flyback primary getting back to the secondary of the PSU, causing voltage spikes in the primary of the PSU and driver circuit.
You'll need a 'scope to check for voltage spikes in the primary circuit of the PSU, but you can check the current in the flyback primary with an ammeter.
If it is voltage spikes a snubber circuit should sort it out, if it's drawing too much current a resistor in series with the flyback primary should sort it out.
Sorry about the confusion,it was late last night when I posted.
Registered Member #3926
Joined: Fri Jun 03 2011, 08:32PM
Location: UK.
Posts: 525
I think I'm going to buy two GF 250Watt 12v halogen PS (and series the outputs) and go very easy on the primary turns on the flyback. I'm unsure what type of circuit these halogen PS's use but in the 100watt you have two 13009 transistor if I remember correctly andf the 250watt has 4 of them. The circuit is infact simple.
I've probably already asked this but is there any weird way to get HV arcs? Except CFL, do all laptop's have CCFL inverters? Would I be able to make an arc with this, or could I buy something cheap-ish (£30~) to make some arcs? (I will also buy halogen supply) I have flybacks and ignition coils..
Registered Member #4074
Joined: Mon Aug 29 2011, 06:58AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 335
Let me know if you have any success with those halogen drivers, I was never able to get any decent output. IIRC the output of the halogen PSUs need a resistor in series with the primary of the flyback, and they will also need either a high power resistor or a halogen lamp across the 12V output to provide a stable load, otherwise you may damage the power supply.
EDIT: Mikes Electric Stuff on youtube has a demonstration of a halogen power supply being used to drive a flyback: youtube link
Registered Member #3926
Joined: Fri Jun 03 2011, 08:32PM
Location: UK.
Posts: 525
XravenorX wrote ...
Let me know if you have any success with those halogen drivers, I was never able to get any decent output. IIRC the output of the halogen PSUs need a resistor in series with the primary of the flyback, and they will also need either a high power resistor or a halogen lamp across the 12V output to provide a stable load, otherwise you may damage the power supply.
EDIT: Mikes Electric Stuff on youtube has a demonstration of a halogen power supply being used to drive a flyback: youtube link
I have had success with them before. But I always used to use like 3 turns on the flyback's primary as I was stupid, use atleast 6. Even then I think it'll run for a limited period of time, so I'd use 10-15. To have a better output you could always series two transformers.
This thread maybe able to show you something...
Also this website sells high power halogen power supplies, as well as the domestic 250watt ones (It seems that 250w is the highest you can buy, but this website sells alot more high power ones)
This site is powered by e107, which is released under the GNU GPL License. All work on this site, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 License. By submitting any information to this site, you agree that anything submitted will be so licensed. Please read our Disclaimer and Policies page for information on your rights and responsibilities regarding this site.