Support to build Primary, secondary and Toroid for a commericial SSTC driver

[antoine_z_h]

Hi Guys,

I am new to SSTC.

I just bought the driver and the interrupter below, and I am waiting for it to arrive, I need your support to help me build the primary , secondary and toroid meanwhile till the driver arrive.

I would seek the best spark length and best power.

where do I start ?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DIY-mini-SSTC-Full-bridge-tesla-coil-Drive-board-Electronic-part-Fiber-arc-extinguishing-Midi-music/32812233025.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10152_10151_10065_10344_10068_10342_10343_10322_10340_10548_10341_10193_10696_10084_5722520_10083_10618_10307_10302_10059_5722620_5722920_5722720_5722820_100031_10319_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620,searchweb201603_19,ppcSwitch_5&algo_expid=e3f99ada-f6af-4def-88e1-b56da7785960-1&algo_pvid=e3f99ada-f6af-4def-88e1-b56da7785960&priceBeautifyAB=0


A dear friend told me about this forum (Chris Ralph) , and I would like to thank him and thank you all in advance.

[antoine_z_h]

This is an example of the sparks this coil with this very driver generates.

is there a way to boost that and get a better spark ?

[TDAF]

how did u manage to get such a straight cut on the pipe used as the primary form??

[antoine_z_h]

Those aren't my results and this is not my coil.

I want guidance to start building mine.


Thanks,

[TDAF]

You need to provide us with more information on what the basic dimensions will be for us to be of any help.
For example,

What is the secondary diameter you're shooting for?
What is the ballpark resonant freq?
What will the shape of the primary coil be? (should preferably be a flat spiral),

Then you gotta start thinking about what kinda silicon you'll be using(i.e MOSFETs OR IGBTs)
I suggest you use IGBTs as it'll then be an easier upgrade to a DRSSTC in the future,

Lay all this out and get building!

[antoine_z_h]

Sir,

1- I bought the driver I posted the link for, and I have no much information about it except for that in the link.
2- I am complexly new to SSTC and tesla coils, I just needed bald lines to follow (like using a calculator or whatever experience members build about SSTC).

based on that, what do you expect me to provide ?

[Laci]

To create sparks you should put the kit together and first try it at lower voltages.To understand how it works or create your own design you should learn about Solid State Tesla Coils.If you notice problems or you have questions just ask.

[oneKone]

hi antoine, i'm chris the guy you emailed.

Firstly welcome to the forum.

When you first messaged me i thought that you had some knowledge about sstc (an assumption that i completely made). I totally agree with Laci, make the secondary and try running it at lower voltage. At 30v you could get an idea of of how to setup the coil with less chance of frying something. As for the secondary i would go for a diameter of 110mm and 250mm winding length using 0.3mm wire, this is the same as steve ward used for one of the tesla coils he made (https://stevehv.4hv.org/SSTC5.htm), This was my build when i built my first real sstc (https://highvoltageforum.net/index.php?topic=91.0)

There's one thing about this hobby. You may trip and stumble along the way, but perseverance is key.

some links if you want to read into it a bit more:

Mads Kaizer: http://kaizerpowerelectronics.dk/tesla-coils/
Steve Ward: https://stevehv.4hv.org/SSTCindex.htm
Gao Guangyan: http://www.loneoceans.com/labs/sstc2/

[Mads Barnkob]

Hey Antoine

Welcome to HVF!

oneKone pretty much summed up all the good resources to understand the SSTC, especially loneoceans articles are very thorough.

Did you buy the driver and inverter board?

I think I looked at the same kit, just where you get primary and secondary coil with it and the dimension from here: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/SSTC-MIDI-Tesla-bobina-proyecto-DIY-Kit/32846251957.html?spm=a219c.10010108.1000013.5.738f2ae7PCC0He&scm=1007.13339.99734.0&scm_id=1007.13339.99734.0&scm-url=1007.13339.99734.0&pvid=ec0151ab-c3ba-472c-a21e-017593bdabeb&_t=pvid%3Aec0151ab-c3ba-472c-a21e-017593bdabeb%2Cscm-url%3A1007.13339.99734.0

Primary coil
Diameter 110 mm
Turns 8

Secondary coil
Diameter 74 mm
Wires diameter 0.14 mm
Turns 600
Coil length 100 mm
Height 200 mm

[antoine_z_h]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for coming here too, I listened to your advice and registered.

Also I started building the coil you described to me, as a start, but I wanted to ask more , if anyone else have further comments.

My driver works on both supplies; 220VAC and 12VDC, so where should I use 30V anyway ?

I will also start reading the links you posted.


Thanks Chris

and Thank you Mads

[antoine_z_h]

It would also be a crazy idea to figure out, which of Kaizar's OR Steve's drivers match my commercial one 

I believe mine is SSTC II  ?

Can anybody make a lucky guess ?

[Laci]

There isn't such a specific voltage where the driver is working,like 12VDC or 220VAC.You can connect any power supply to it with any voltage,but accordingly to the driver's limitations.To see if everything is working fine you should connect a low voltage supply first,then increase the voltage if everything is OK.30VDC should be enough to light up a fluorescent lamp or produce some little sparks.

In my opinion the driver is similar to the Kaizer SSTC 2 with small changes,like the gate drive ICs are TC4429 if I've seen it right.That looks really interesting to me not just because they are only rated at 6A peak,but also unable to drive the IGBT gates over 18V.I assume the GDT(gate drive transformer)is 1:2 ratio,so the gate voltage is twice the drive signal,which requires even more current from the weak driver ICs.The other possibility is a 1:1 GDT,in this case the IGBTs might switch incorrectly.

Be sure to use the mentioned voltages on the board-expect the 220VAC at the beginning.I've seen no voltage regulators(maybe one for a fan at the white connector)so don't exceed the voltages.

The feedback signal comes from a CT(current transformer)which should be wired up in the correct polarity-if you see no or very little current flowing into the inverter input(the green terminal
next to the black DC jack,where you connect the previously mentioned low voltage,like 30VDC)then swap the connections.At really low inverter input voltages(under 10V)the signal is weak so it can happen that it won't work.

If you can,please send us some close up photos of the driver,especially about the ICs markings. Has the board SMD components on the bottom side?