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Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
Tomorrow I'm going to be hitting radioshack to buy the parts needed to drive my ignition coil. I already got that, and a large 4X3X3 inch heatsink.
What's the best way to power these things at a cheaper price rather than paying 40-50 dollars on a battery... I was told a transformer can't really handle such devices...
Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
rp181 wrote ...
Yes it can. Just recitfy it and put a filter capacitor on it.
Well, for beginner (i don't own a battery or workbench power supply) I thought I could use my Lionel train transformer. with a 0-17V 20VAC and 7VA, or about 400 or so ma, it wouldn't give a big arch but it will work still...
I believe with Lionel it doesn't hurt it because they have a system where if it gets too warm it shuts off to prevent any damage. (my transformer)
Registered Member #540
Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969
I don't think that would work because usually iggy coils draw a couple amps. The train transformer would fry it you put an iggy coil on it... It might heat up too fast for the over temp thing to heat up as well to shut it off.
Registered Member #690
Joined: Tue May 08 2007, 03:47AM
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 616
You also have to worry about high voltage/high frequency feedback. Also, some of those model train transformers I have seen do not put out a constant DC voltage, but some kind of squarewave.
It might work at VERY low powers, but I would use it with a large filter capacitor. Keep in mind when I say VERY low, i mean like corona/ion wind generation or lifter experiments. With 7VA, you won't be doing much arc drawing.
Registered Member #1643
Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039
Shaun wrote ...
You also have to worry about high voltage/high frequency feedback. Also, some of those model train transformers I have seen do not put out a constant DC voltage, but some kind of squarewave.
It might work at VERY low powers, but I would use it with a large filter capacitor. Keep in mind when I say VERY low, i mean like corona/ion wind generation or lifter experiments. With 7VA, you won't be doing much arc drawing.
oh man dude, I know! My transformer, goes 1-17V. A friend of mine who knows a very large range on this stuff said to add a filter cap of around 220 uf. I did, Volt meter its max output, 48V. he said that these transformers are VERY dirty power. 48V when it should be a max of only 17. Anyways...
I put a AC - DC converter on it, (board stolen out of a old transformer), filter capacitor it, and now run my 555 on a 9V battery. sparks were a LOT better (and less choppy sound) So atm I'm attemtping a tiny jacob ladder due to low volts, but talking 1mm at the bottom. Right now tuning it to a single spark instead of 9+ is the hard part. closest i got is only 1 bright spark, and 5 or so around it. Using 2 15-turn 10kohm resistors on the tuning.
Registered Member #1936
Joined: Sun Jan 25 2009, 11:34AM
Location: USA
Posts: 17
As Shaun mentioned, the DC terminals are (usually) just half-wave rectified. Its just a diode in series with the one terminal. Your home made bridge/filter should definitely improve your project. If you're truly dedicated you could open the transformer up and replace the single diode rectifier with a 4A bridge to the DC terminals. You'd still need an external filter cap though of course.
Save up some money and invest in a better supply. For most tinkering you could get by with a PC supply. All the fun voltages (3.3 5, +12 and -12!) in one box.
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Best source of power?
