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Registered Member #1734
Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 04:07PM
Location: Heemstede, Netherlands
Posts: 8
Hi all,
After a few months of lurking, searching, reading and analysing I seem to have hit the analysis paralysis wall and would therefore seriously appreciate your advice and help.
I have succesfully built a couple of small coils and my 200mm 12KV/75mA NST driven pride and joy but have yet to do a SSTC.
I now need to build a small desktop unit for a friend and am hoping that you might be able to point me in the best direction.
I need a smallish reliable system that can be driven from mains 220V and can be stepped through a decent range of frequencies to demonstrate spark types and which could (preferably) also be audio modulated.
I do have a basic to mediocre skill in electronics, can make my own PCB's, and do have a scope and other equipment.
Any advice on which driver/interruptor/bridge circuits or schemes I could follow would be most appreciated! Obviously, for my first attempt the most straightforward scheme would be best!
Registered Member #1107
Joined: Thu Nov 08 2007, 10:09PM
Location:
Posts: 792
For just a simple sstc try Steve Ward's mini sstc use the last schematic on the page. Many people on the forum including me have reproduced it reliably and it's a great entry lever sstc. Having a scope is good because you can see waveforms and places and it will help alot in troubleshooting.
Registered Member #1739
Joined: Fri Oct 03 2008, 10:05AM
Location: Moscow, Russia
Posts: 261
The only impossible part is the one about "a decent range of frequencies to demonstrate spark types" which interfers with the fact that the operating frequency is based off the resonator design and can be a bit displaced by modifying the top load, but that doesn't really cover the range you think of (one is from ~500kHz to ~5MHz ;) ), which is barely possible to achieve by the same invertor topology anyway.
Registered Member #1734
Joined: Thu Oct 02 2008, 04:07PM
Location: Heemstede, Netherlands
Posts: 8
Thanks TeslaCoolGuy, I have looked at that circuit many times and does look like a great starting point! Are there any mods that I should look at? What, in your opinion, is the best method of introducing audio modulation into the mix?
LithiumLord: Thanks for your reply. I agree and although I probably didn't explain myself properly I really didn't mean to imply that I expected to be able to build a "one-size-fits-all" coil! What I'd like to build is a good solid robust driver circuit that could be used with a "variety" of secondary coils and toploads.
Registered Member #1517
Joined: Wed Jun 04 2008, 06:55AM
Location: Chico CA
Posts: 304
FreakyG
I suggest using our search function to find threads related to the mini sstc. There are at least 5 that will immediately pop up, all with valuable information.
Registered Member #1107
Joined: Thu Nov 08 2007, 10:09PM
Location:
Posts: 792
FreakyG wrote ...
Thanks TeslaCoolGuy, I have looked at that circuit many times and does look like a great starting point! Are there any mods that I should look at? What, in your opinion, is the best method of introducing audio modulation into the mix?
LithiumLord: Thanks for your reply. I agree and although I probably didn't explain myself properly I really didn't mean to imply that I expected to be able to build a "one-size-fits-all" coil! What I'd like to build is a good solid robust driver circuit that could be used with a "variety" of secondary coils and toploads.
The simple way but low quality way is to replace the interrupter "555 circuit" with a zero cross detector and feed that into the enable pins on the ucc chips. It will work but the sound will be very distorted. There are other way more complicated ways to do it with a tl494 pwm chip but then you would be designing a whole new driver.
Registered Member #639
Joined: Wed Apr 11 2007, 09:09PM
Location: The Netherlands, Herkenbosch
Posts: 512
Why would he need a whole new driver when he wants to use a tl494. The tl494 can generate a 40 Khz signal and then pwm that with audio. If you feed that signal to the enable of the gate drivers you would get a lot better audio then a simple 555/zerocross audiomod can provide.
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Advice please: Need help with a Desktop [DR]SSTC
