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Registered Member #9614
Joined: Mon Jan 14 2013, 10:00PM
Location:
Posts: 44
nzoomed wrote ...
Alex Yuan wrote ...
Since it was failing to oscillate, I was going to suggest checking your driver, but it seems like an issue with the power supply.
Not sure what your bus is like, but can you take out your igbts and power up just your power supply? Not sure what you have, doubler or not, but there's not much to it. If there's still an issue, it's probably a rectifier diode. Or less likely maybe a film cap or MOV if you have one.
This is the problem im having, even with the coil powered on but with no signal driving the oscillator, i was getting the short happen. Its like there is some sort of short across the bus but have no idea what it is, because my meter is giving a high reading and that is just the bleeder resistor. Ive got a film cap from the bus to ground as a means of strike protection.
Start by disconnecting your IGBT's and see if you're still having issues.
Registered Member #61983
Joined: Fri Dec 08 2017, 12:07AM
Location:
Posts: 22
I had a similar issue and thought my Rectifier was ok using a multi-meter however when testing the bridge isolated from the Tesla Coil circuit when i started turning up the variac it started humming at like 10v even though it was making the multi-meter respond and the voltage was off a little the rectifier was shot. Changed it out works like a charm. The rectifier should not pull enough amps to make a variac hum when its just hooked to a multi-meter at low voltage. If that is ok and you dont have the drive circuit on and power on the variac and it is constantly pulling amps there is a short somewhere between the rectifier and primary coil. Bad diode, igbt/mosfet, maybe capacitor, compromised wire, etc. Just some of the things I've found through troubleshooting.
Registered Member #54503
Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
Yes good point, i did not think if disconnecting the output from the rectifier! That will save me pulling the bus apart to test the IGBTS, which was a tone of work!
My other question is how do you know if the phasing is correct on the driver? I always assumed you test at very low voltage and if it does not show any signs of working to simply swap the jumpers round?
Registered Member #30656
Joined: Tue Jul 30 2013, 02:40AM
Location: UK
Posts: 208
I'd do a low power test while scoping the bridge output current/voltage. Should be reasonably obvious when it's right.
BTW did you end up wanting any SCR modules etc? Will be back in Auckland at the end of March, happy to send some your way. (Unfortunately I don't have a big stock of 1200V IGBT bricks, though plenty of crappy 600V/200A ones).
Registered Member #54503
Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
I would not mind trying some of those SCR modules. Right now im trying to repair the brushes on my variac, so if this is more reliable and lightweight than a heavy variac, i think its a good option!
Registered Member #54503
Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
Hydron wrote ...
I'd do a low power test while scoping the bridge output current/voltage. Should be reasonably obvious when it's right.
BTW did you end up wanting any SCR modules etc? Will be back in Auckland at the end of March, happy to send some your way. (Unfortunately I don't have a big stock of 1200V IGBT bricks, though plenty of crappy 600V/200A ones).
Thankfully it is the rectifier!
I got round to testing it yesterday and sure enough it was shorting when i turned up the variac even with the rectifier disconnected from the bus. really weird though as my multimeter does not show any shorts on the rectifier, it seems to only be shorting at high voltage, so obviously its breaking down at a lower voltage than it should.
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No go with DRSSTC after replacing IGBT's
