Small SSTC

ZakWolf, Wed Jul 02 2014, 02:34AM

Hi all

I finished steve wards SSTC5 mini my first SSTC (took about 2 years, lots of down time in between it working and not) and i want more!!!

I am interested in not so much the massive sparks( those are nice too) but rather sustainability(not popping fest), efficiency, and size. I am looking for something like this Link2 and this Link2

On one hand steves is nice and i like the arcs but the secondary is massive !! i dont mind smaller wire , i have 38 awg on the way. And Uzzors2k is so tiny and flame like. Can i merge the two?? output, efficiency and size wise? I want this to be a tough project for me rather then following some schematic.

I purchased a massive book on electronic, everything i need to know i hope... confused I would like to further my understanding of how exactly these coils work and what it takes to make one work well.

If you guys are willing to point me in the right direction and give me a little push every once in awhile i think overall it will be a very worthwhile project

Edit:my only real limitation is the fact that i dont have an oscilloscope, and i think it would be vary hard to make a class e sstc as i am sure i need one for tuning... can someone recommend a good scope that will work as i am not familiar with trusted brands or the specs i would need.

THANKS!
Re: Small SSTC
Mads Barnkob, Wed Jul 02 2014, 09:33AM

A good hobby oscilloscope, noth price and feature wise is the Rigol DS1052 or if you want the newer version (and spend some more) the wide screen Rigol DS2072.

I bought my DS1052 from Hong Kong over ebay, worked like a charm for years :)

I considered upgrading to the DS2072, so maybe my DS1052 is for sale ;)
Re: Small SSTC
Sigurthr, Wed Jul 02 2014, 06:03PM

And that scope blows the 40yr old analogue 40mhz clunkers many of us are using right out of the water by the way.
Re: Small SSTC
loneoceans, Wed Jul 02 2014, 06:56PM

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

A good hobby oscilloscope, noth price and feature wise is the Rigol DS1052 or if you want the newer version (and spend some more) the wide screen Rigol DS2072.

I bought my DS1052 from Hong Kong over ebay, worked like a charm for years :)

I considered upgrading to the DS2072, so maybe my DS1052 is for sale ;)

I would highly recommend the new Rigol DS1074z which is a 4 Channel 70MHz DSO with a huge high res LCD and firmware upgradable to the 100Mhz version, all for less than $200 more than the (still not bad) DS1000 series. It's the best value scope on the market now by far.

[Update: Looks like there's free shipping! Link2 stocks both the DS1052/1102 and the 1074]

And w.r.t to Mads Barnkob, the 2000 series is for sure nicer :) But it's also starting to get really expensive. The 1074 does split the sampling rate if you use 4 channels, but the extra channels saves the trouble of getting a differential probe. I think for many hobbyists who don't need the bandwidth, the 1074 is really the best bang for the $ :) Rigol's really setting the benchmark for $300 $500 and $800 scopes these days.
Re: Small SSTC
ZakWolf, Thu Jul 03 2014, 02:04AM

loneoceans wrote ...

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

A good hobby oscilloscope, noth price and feature wise is the Rigol DS1052 or if you want the newer version (and spend some more) the wide screen Rigol DS2072.

I bought my DS1052 from Hong Kong over ebay, worked like a charm for years :)

I considered upgrading to the DS2072, so maybe my DS1052 is for sale ;)


I would highly recommend the new Rigol DS1074z which is a 4 Channel 70MHz DSO with a huge high res LCD and firmware upgradable to the 100Mhz version, all for less than $200 more than the (still not bad) DS1000 series. It's the best value scope on the market now by far.
where exactly is it under 200$?? i cant find it

buying a scope for ~200 $ is no problem maybe next week. after that i am in the clear to start designing.

Re: Small SSTC
Sigurthr, Thu Jul 03 2014, 03:00AM

He was saying it is less than $200 MORE THAN the other model.
Re: Small SSTC
Mads Barnkob, Thu Jul 03 2014, 06:07AM

loneoceans wrote ...

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

A good hobby oscilloscope, noth price and feature wise is the Rigol DS1052 or if you want the newer version (and spend some more) the wide screen Rigol DS2072.

I bought my DS1052 from Hong Kong over ebay, worked like a charm for years :)

I considered upgrading to the DS2072, so maybe my DS1052 is for sale ;)

I would highly recommend the new Rigol DS1074z which is a 4 Channel 70MHz DSO with a huge high res LCD and firmware upgradable to the 100Mhz version, all for less than $200 more than the (still not bad) DS1000 series. It's the best value scope on the market now by far.

[Update: Looks like there's free shipping! Link2 stocks both the DS1052/1102 and the 1074]

Just remember to compare the model, which can be done easy here: Link2

4 channels might be nice, but is comes at the cost of 1/4 sample speed of the DS1052!

I would still choose between DS1052 and DS2072. You would also thank yourself for getting a 1000V differential probe to measure on bridge output and other signals where you can not ground it through the scope ground clip.
Re: Small SSTC
ZakWolf, Thu Jul 03 2014, 06:26AM

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

loneoceans wrote ...

Mads Barnkob wrote ...

A good hobby oscilloscope, noth price and feature wise is the Rigol DS1052 or if you want the newer version (and spend some more) the wide screen Rigol DS2072.

I bought my DS1052 from Hong Kong over ebay, worked like a charm for years :)

I considered upgrading to the DS2072, so maybe my DS1052 is for sale ;)

I would highly recommend the new Rigol DS1074z which is a 4 Channel 70MHz DSO with a huge high res LCD and firmware upgradable to the 100Mhz version, all for less than $200 more than the (still not bad) DS1000 series. It's the best value scope on the market now by far.

[Update: Looks like there's free shipping! Link2 stocks both the DS1052/1102 and the 1074]

Just remember to compare the model, which can be done easy here: Link2

4 channels might be nice, but is comes at the cost of 1/4 sample speed of the DS1052!

I would still choose between DS1052 and DS2072. You would also thank yourself for getting a 1000V differential probe to measure on bridge output and other signals where you can not ground it through the scope ground clip.


yeah I will get that as well. Well i should get my scope in a couple weeks and then i can start planing and designing

In the mean time. im looking to build something like a class E coil, but i want it small kind of like that 4 MHz coil in my first post Link2


EDIT:I Think i will get the DS1052E | 50 MHz Digital Link2

its only 320$ !! sad this damn hobby is too expensive