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Another mini SSTC (but its my first)

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Matt Edwards

Sat Jun 26 2010, 07:56PM

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

I wanted to start off by expressing my appreciation to Steve Ward for making his designs available to beginners like myself.

And, thank you Goodchild for steering me in the right direction on this one.

Anyway, I have decided to make Steve Wards SSTC5.

Since this is my first "decent" Tesla coil, as you would imagine I am pretty excited about it! So I have decided to put up a thread to display my progress, failures, and successes.

If you would like to slip me some good advice or have any questions please do not hesitate to message me.

I read that it was a good idea to sand, dry, and polyurethane the PVC before starting so that is exactly what I did. I "wet" sanded the PVC to remove dirt, scratches, lettering, etc. I then baked the PVC in an oven for several hours at 130*F. I then coated it (inside and out) with a few layers of Minwax polyurethane spray.

Once it was dry I started looking for a fast way to wind the coil.
Here are a few photographs of my "megyver" solution.

I used a rotating MIG welding table, a few pairs of vice grips, and a screwdriver. The table rotation was pretty slow so it took me approx 2 hours but it was still WAY better then winding it by hand!

Here is the finished coil. (before coating) I have just finished spraying it with several coats of polyurethane and am currently waiting for it to dry.

Now it is time to start the driver.

dmg

Sat Jun 26 2010, 09:24PM

Registered Member #2628 Joined: Fri Jan 15 2010, 12:23AM
Location:
Posts: 627

beautiful secondary Oidium!
have you coated it while the coil was spinning? or stationary?

Matt Edwards

Sat Jun 26 2010, 09:26PM

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

Thank you! I coated it stationary. I used a full can of spray polyurethand. There must be about 10 coats.

Goodchild

Sat Jun 26 2010, 10:15PM

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

Wow nice way better than my first SSTC secondary!

It also looks like you have a nice little machine shot at your disposal! (With the welder and all)

Matt Edwards

Sat Jun 26 2010, 10:42PM

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

Yea, my work does manufacturing/remanufacturing of clutches & flywheels for the racing industry so there is quite a bit of equipment available.

quicksilver

Sun Jun 27 2010, 07:36PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

What size wire & how many turns? Looks like a fairly wide tube!
It -=IS=- a beauty.....That's a very unique way of turning the coil.. How may RPM?

Matt Edwards

Sun Jun 27 2010, 08:03PM

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

quicksilver wrote ...

What size wire & how many turns? Looks like a fairly wide tube!
It -=IS=- a beauty.....That's a very unique way of turning the coil.. How may RPM?

I went to spec with what Steve Ward used in his SSTC-5. It is 4"x11.5" PVC (4.5"OD). The winding itself is 4.5x10. The wire is 30awg so I assume being 0.01" before enamel, there are probably between 900-1000 turns.

I have almost finished the driver. I just need to wind the primary and fire it up. I have my fingers crossed! I powered it up without the coil attached and nothing blew up. So, so far it is looking good.

I put most of the circuit (lower voltage end) on a breadboard. The higher voltage end (other side of the GDT) is connected with alligator clip jumpers so it is quite a birds nest!

If everything checks out I will be putting all of the components on a PCB.

Matt Edwards

Mon Jun 28 2010, 01:55PM

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

Well, everything was working "ok" (1" spark) until i overheated the mosfets and blew the fuse. Now even with the new mosfets it will not oscillate... Guess i have to start testing components...

Matt Edwards

Sun Jul 04 2010, 08:05PM

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

I figured out what happened...
When I was putting everything on the breadboard, I accidentally grabbed two 1N4004's instead of 1N4148's. Probably explains why i killed the 74HC14 so quickly. Let that be a lesson to double check your work...
I am adding everything to a more permanent board. It isn't going to be pretty because I am using a pref-board but I really don't want to take the time to make a PCB for this one. I have too much invested already.

My new 74HC14's should be arriving sometime next week so things should be back on track then!

Matt Edwards

Sun Jul 11 2010, 02:39AM

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

Almost finished! YAY! I just have a few more traces on the boards and then I get to hook everything up...

I sure hope it works!

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