Tesla Coil Build Thread

[Speedy78]

thye wont be for sale for a while, they haven't even finished shipping round 2 yet and there's 4 rounds.

Contacted oneTesla and they responded saying there is about a 10 business day lead time prior to shipment but they are shipping. Also ther topload is stamped metal and not the one pictured on the kit.

 

[Fiddy]

Thats good news for you guys but kickstarter backers will be pissed!
The toroid is nice its not spun but pressed which is different.

 

[DashApple]

Pretty cool, I'll do some research about VTTCs before deciding. The nicest thing is that it has huge sparks compared to the secondary coil!

Good luck with whatever you do ! ,




So , made my test setup for my mini audio SSTC , was getting 1" Arcs with audio modulation ,


But I put the primary to close so it arced over and destroyed the secondary , The RCD went so I may be able to resurrect the secondary , But it worked

Im using the antenna feedback , with 4049 Hex inverter , 4046 PLL , But it wont run with a CT feedback system as I get loads of noise ( probably breadboard layout ? ) . Even with the antenna the PLL kept locking onto frequency's below the resonant frequency of the secondary , But after some pot tuning I seems to lock at 450 KHz

When Turing the variac up you can see the PLL lock and follow the frequency on the o-scope .


IMG_0675[1] by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr

smoothing is 1200 uF , fets are 500 Volts 14A Plastic 220 style , UF freewheeling diodes are 600 Volts , 15 Amps .

So Updates as I go , my aim is 1 - 2" arcs with audio .

 

[irishluck]

I started my build on "Steves Mini SSTC".

Ill tell you something, I'm straight on some of this.
Ive got some of the driver but wow!

 

[Sigurthr]

Hey Twirly, what are you using for gate drive? Discrete or UCC chips? I've tried audio modulating my PLL driver via the 4046 for audio input but I get tons of phase distortion and only the upper harmonics of the audio signal make it out of the secondary's output. I've considered instead modulating the UCC chips' enable pins with the audio but never tested it as I would have to build another board for it or bodge-connect it.

I could never get audio modulation to work on auto-tuning drivers, only fixed frequency ones as the driver would lock on the PWM carrier frequency instead of the f0.

 

[DashApple]

Hey Twirly, what are you using for gate drive? Discrete or UCC chips? I've tried audio modulating my PLL driver via the 4046 for audio input but I get tons of phase distortion and only the upper harmonics of the audio signal make it out of the secondary's output. I've considered instead modulating the UCC chips' enable pins with the audio but never tested it as I would have to build another board for it or bodge-connect it.

I could never get audio modulation to work on auto-tuning drivers, only fixed frequency ones as the driver would lock on the PWM carrier frequency instead of the f0.

Im using gate drive ic's in a 220 package , Unfortunately they don't have enable pins on then xD

Thanks for the help , I think I used fixed frequency on my last coil so ill have a look into this and see if that's the case .

 

[Fiddy]

started modulating

 

[Speedy78]

want!! I need to sell of a laser.

 

[DashApple]

My Audio SSTC Lives


Turns out I was way off resonance , 550 KHz resonance and my driver was stuck at 490 KHz xD ,

audio is working too , But at low powers , if I turn the power up the audio sound gets quieter

Edit : Picture


IMG_0677[1] by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr

 

[DashApple]

Not sure if anyone visits this thread but ,

My SSTC is now AM Modulated with a Class D amp drving the Bus of the SSTC , Gives nice clear and loud audio

* needs to get correct low pass filter inductor xD *

 

[Sigurthr]

Did you make or buy the class-D amp? I'm curious what amp would put out the dozens to hundreds of volts needed for the dc bus. Good solid design ideology though; you get the best results when you AM modulate the bus. I tried it once using a modulation transformer ala 1950s high side AM modulation, but couldn't get the bus reactance right to pass enough current at the f0 as I was rather limited in the transformer department. looking back on it I could have tried adding capacitance to the bus to cancel out some of the inductance of the high side of the trafo, but I didn't have anything suitable anyway.

 

[DashApple]

Did you make or buy the class-D amp? I'm curious what amp would put out the dozens to hundreds of volts needed for the dc bus. Good solid design ideology though; you get the best results when you AM modulate the bus. I tried it once using a modulation transformer ala 1950s high side AM modulation, but couldn't get the bus reactance right to pass enough current at the f0 as I was rather limited in the transformer department. looking back on it I could have tried adding capacitance to the bus to cancel out some of the inductance of the high side of the trafo, but I didn't have anything suitable anyway.

I made the class D amp stage myself ,

It uses a 555 timer to generate a 30 KHz triangle ish wave then a comparator is used to compare the triangle wave with the audio signal , giving me a PWM output that then feeds a Hex inverter that drives 2 opto-couplers that then drive the gate drive ICs that are direct connected to the Mosfets in a H bridge config . Its abit "Eh" but it works

Im hoping the dead time section built into the gate drive IC's is enough to avoid shoot though .

I need to re desing my LC filter setup as I thing the values are all wrong

Yeah AM gives so much better and louder results over FM , abit more complicated but worth it .

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

Pics?
. . .

What size inductor do you need? I can make you one.

 

[DashApple]

Pics?
. . .

What size inductor do you need? I can make you one.

Pics ill get tomorrow .

Thanks But I Have no idea till I work out the correct value

 

[jbtm]

Gaaahhhh I figured I might as well share a couple of my many coils since it's been awhile...

So I made my own polyphonic interrupter running off of an ATMEGA128A 100% custom code built for my own application with duty limiting. Below are my 2 main coils I use often. a DRSSTC that runs using onetesla @ 200A, and a DRSSTC that runs a beta-test private board at 1200A primary current ( 6-7ft max so far )

So I can always attempt dropping help if anyone needs it If I get the time to.

OneTesla V1 test light on XenoSonic driver (monophonic)
areodynamic - YouTube

Beta board, 500A limited for endurance testing, Polyphonic. I was PISSED i didnt verify my camera angle >_> Was still insanely loud x3
DRRUN - YouTube

Sooo yeah. That should give me a lil respect I'm sure :3 Questions? I can try to answer as best as I can XD

 

[ped]

Would love to hear Lfo:Lfo on that.