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Universal DRSSTC Driver - Wishlist

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teravolt

Thu Oct 14 2010, 05:13AM

Registered Member #195 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 08:27PM
Location: Berkeley, ca.
Posts: 1111

Hi Daniel, Steve ward may have added it to his 2009 PCB her in his flicker page

and Fin's who discovered it.

Have you made any progress with your QCW coil PCB? thats the one I want to build. I have a setup I am working on but have not had time or enegy to finish it.

lightlinked

Thu Oct 14 2010, 06:10AM

Registered Member #2087 Joined: Tue Apr 21 2009, 08:32AM
Location:
Posts: 115

an adjustable HVDC SMPS for small - medium DR/SSTCs could be a handy thing

Hei

Thu Oct 14 2010, 10:02AM

Registered Member #2808 Joined: Sat Apr 17 2010, 03:25AM
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 11

perhaps a addition on board interrupter will be good?
And it will be nice to add something like self-checking...

HV Enthusiast

Thu Oct 14 2010, 02:54PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Great info. The phase adjustment is good, but i wonder if that will just end up confusing people, especially those less experienced. I want to try keeping everything as simple and straightforward as possible.

Mads Barnkob

Thu Oct 14 2010, 03:12PM

Registered Member #1403 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968

EastVoltResearch wrote ...

Great info. The phase adjustment is good, but i wonder if that will just end up confusing people, especially those less experienced. I want to try keeping everything as simple and straightforward as possible.

Then maybe you should make it in two versions, wanting to make one driver to rule them all and not wanting to add advanced performance enhancing features doesn't seem to go well in my book.

Maybe a beginners driver and a advanced user driver? Or you could even make it a slot-in option or something so the basic board just have some jumper slot it can fit in...

Steve Conner

Thu Oct 14 2010, 03:27PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

I would like an all-digital one based on a FPGA, with fiber optic Ethernet connection to a laptop that controls the whole system and displays all the relevant waveforms for easy tuning. The PC side software should accept MIDI or WAV files and convert them to blood-curdling high voltage racket in real time.

It should also ideally cost less than 99 cents and come with a free set of cheerleaders.

HV Enthusiast

Thu Oct 14 2010, 05:36PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Steve McConner wrote ...

I would like an all-digital one based on a FPGA, with fiber optic Ethernet connection to a laptop that controls the whole system and displays all the relevant waveforms for easy tuning. The PC side software should accept MIDI or WAV files and convert them to blood-curdling high voltage racket in real time.

It should also ideally cost less than 99 cents and come with a free set of cheerleaders.

Actually, i was thinking about less than 99 cents and a free set of strippers (clothes not included!)

Also, ideally, you'd want the whole thing to tune itself. No need to view waveforms or anything!

wrote ...

Then maybe you should make it in two versions, wanting to make one driver to rule them all and not wanting to add advanced performance enhancing features doesn't seem to go well in my book.

Maybe a beginners driver and a advanced user driver? Or you could even make it a slot-in option or something so the basic board just have some jumper slot it can fit in...

Well, i have no intention to make one driver rule them all. Just making a simple universal driver that EVERYONE can use for their DRSSTC projects - from small to big - without making it too overly complicated. Sure, we have some very talented and knowledgeable individuals on this forum who will dig into the "nitty gritty" measuring and tuning every aspect of a DRSSTC. But, in reality, the average person building one of these really doesn't care. They just want a simple plug-n-play driver that works well and doesn't take too much thought.

Actually, if you want a phase lead circuit, i'd be happy to add it. Just send me a circuit, with parts list (shouldn't be too difficult as its seems like only 2-3 parts), and i'll be happy to add it. Sounds like a great option, but unfortunately, i don't have time to research it / simulate / test it. I'll even send you a free beta unit to test to your hearts content!

teravolt

Thu Oct 14 2010, 07:56PM

Registered Member #195 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 08:27PM
Location: Berkeley, ca.
Posts: 1111

Do you plan to add dead time adjustment for bricks?

Part of the problem is that if you use bricks you have to add a cuple of extra fetures to cope with them. you are almoast better off designing a straight pcb that is for a drsstc and then having a cupple support pcbs for mini bricks and to-247 fets and a pcb that does bricks. If we wanted phase leading then a LR network with a comparitor and buffer pcb for zero adjustment can come with the brick driver PCB with built in deatime. you already have a PCB for bricks just make it a half bridge driver pcb with deadtime in front.

if it becomes a large PCB that doies every thing then it will be more costly. It seems to me that what you have already done with mini brute is the way to go then just sell kits so if I want to make a monster DRSSTC or a QCW coil all I have to do is buy the parts or kits. If all the signals are say ttl or the PCB's analog signals are compatible the electonics can be built with users can design. you have moast of the parts all ready does that make sense.

ScotchTapeLord

Thu Oct 14 2010, 08:25PM

Registered Member #1875 Joined: Sun Dec 21 2008, 06:36PM
Location:
Posts: 635

I wonder if a single phase lead system could be designed to accommodate the broad range of frequencies and current-capabilities of this universal driver...

HV Enthusiast

Fri Oct 15 2010, 12:56PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

Thanks for all the comments. I'm presently working some market studies to finalize which direction we will be going in. One option we are looking at is offering a small line of universal drivers, each with increasing functionality.

As for power stages, we will be offering half-bridge boards which are designed for SOT-227 devices as well as several types of commonly used IGBT bricks. These boards should be available fairly soon which are double-sided 16 oz. copper, and for the higher power bricks, we are evaluating the use of IMS type technology, although it is more expensive.

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