Help with first DRSSTC
Gabriel35, Tue Apr 07 2015, 08:10PMHello all!
I'm thinking about building this circuit:
I'm thinking about getting a ~3kW Tesla coil (Medium size)
What do you guys think?
The only problem is that I don't have acess to those IXD414 drivers, The only drivers I got here are the TC4420 and the IR2184. Is there a way of using them instead of the 414s?
Thank you!
Re: Help with first DRSSTC
dexter, Tue Apr 07 2015, 10:02PM
you can use any driver chip with enable pin that can output enough amps to drive the transistors
if one inverting and another noninverting gate drivers are used there is no need for extra logic inverters to be used
TC4420 has the amps but doesn't have the enable pin so not usable unless a extra NOR/OR gate is used per driver
IR2184 is a half bridge driver without the need of a GDT and ST pin can be used as enable. But i'm not sure if using IR2184's in a DRSSTC environment is possible or even recommended
from what i know mosfets for a DRSSTC are not suitable - use IGBT's
dexter, Tue Apr 07 2015, 10:02PM
you can use any driver chip with enable pin that can output enough amps to drive the transistors
if one inverting and another noninverting gate drivers are used there is no need for extra logic inverters to be used
TC4420 has the amps but doesn't have the enable pin so not usable unless a extra NOR/OR gate is used per driver
IR2184 is a half bridge driver without the need of a GDT and ST pin can be used as enable. But i'm not sure if using IR2184's in a DRSSTC environment is possible or even recommended
from what i know mosfets for a DRSSTC are not suitable - use IGBT's
Re: Help with first DRSSTC
loneoceans, Wed Apr 08 2015, 01:13AM
For the drivers, most people like to use the UCC37321/322 drivers due to their relatively high current capability. The IR2184 might not be powerful enough depending on what transistors you use, and the TC442x series has no enable pin but you can add your own logic to the front of it as dexter mentioned. Note that you can also replace all the 4000 series logic with 74HC series logic which are extremely common these days. hc14 for inverter and hc74 for the d flip flop.
I'd also replace the FETs with IGBTs for DRSSTC use. Some good candidates off the top of my head are the FGA60N65, FGH60N60 and the IRGP50B60s. They should be good for 3-4 feet of spark in a well designed DRSSTC :) Adjust your primary circuit inductance and tank cap accordingly, since it looks like this coil was originally a conventional SSTC. Otherwise the circuit is very typical of a normal DRSSTC and should work fine.
loneoceans, Wed Apr 08 2015, 01:13AM
For the drivers, most people like to use the UCC37321/322 drivers due to their relatively high current capability. The IR2184 might not be powerful enough depending on what transistors you use, and the TC442x series has no enable pin but you can add your own logic to the front of it as dexter mentioned. Note that you can also replace all the 4000 series logic with 74HC series logic which are extremely common these days. hc14 for inverter and hc74 for the d flip flop.
I'd also replace the FETs with IGBTs for DRSSTC use. Some good candidates off the top of my head are the FGA60N65, FGH60N60 and the IRGP50B60s. They should be good for 3-4 feet of spark in a well designed DRSSTC :) Adjust your primary circuit inductance and tank cap accordingly, since it looks like this coil was originally a conventional SSTC. Otherwise the circuit is very typical of a normal DRSSTC and should work fine.
Re: Help with first DRSSTC
Gabriel35, Wed Apr 08 2015, 02:11AM
Good to hear that!
Thank you for the examples on IGBTs! I'll try them!
I have here a pair of IRGP4650D (
What do you think about them?
About the power of the Ir2184, i know that is low. But one thing that I'm doing that is working pretty well for the Induction Heater is to use the IR2184s to drive a half-bridge of IRF540Ns and then, this bridge drives the main bridge with a GDT and the correct resistors on the gates.
What do you think of that?
When using more powerfull switches as the ones that you described, is there a need for full-bridge? or a half-bridge will do the job?
Thank you again!
Gabriel35, Wed Apr 08 2015, 02:11AM
Good to hear that!
Thank you for the examples on IGBTs! I'll try them!
I have here a pair of IRGP4650D (
What do you think about them?
About the power of the Ir2184, i know that is low. But one thing that I'm doing that is working pretty well for the Induction Heater is to use the IR2184s to drive a half-bridge of IRF540Ns and then, this bridge drives the main bridge with a GDT and the correct resistors on the gates.
What do you think of that?
When using more powerfull switches as the ones that you described, is there a need for full-bridge? or a half-bridge will do the job?
Thank you again!
Re: Help with first DRSSTC
loneoceans, Wed Apr 08 2015, 10:45PM
It depends on how big or powerful a coil you want to build. My DRSSTC 1 uses a half bridge of 60N65s at doubled 120VAC and I get just about 2 feet of spark from a small coil. The IGBTs you linked should work for a small coil, but you would probably want some better IGBTs for more power. The method of using small gate drivers to drive a push-pull mosfet pair is common practice and they will do just fine :)
loneoceans, Wed Apr 08 2015, 10:45PM
It depends on how big or powerful a coil you want to build. My DRSSTC 1 uses a half bridge of 60N65s at doubled 120VAC and I get just about 2 feet of spark from a small coil. The IGBTs you linked should work for a small coil, but you would probably want some better IGBTs for more power. The method of using small gate drivers to drive a push-pull mosfet pair is common practice and they will do just fine :)
Re: Help with first DRSSTC
Gabriel35, Tue Apr 14 2015, 02:16AM
Thank you loneoceans! Good to know.
Could you post a link of your DRSSTC 1?
Gabriel35, Tue Apr 14 2015, 02:16AM
Thank you loneoceans! Good to know.
Could you post a link of your DRSSTC 1?
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