You have a very good point, it really sounds like a big capacitor discharging.

it has two knobs, screen and focus, can I get away by dialing them ?

The transformer is TV 29-FS4RL if it helps.

I do not have scope pictures but I have measured them and it looks fine, I am getting about 5ns edges

Hello

I am building SSTC that will be running on rectified mains voltage for high arcs. I will be using a gate driver for IGBT's and will be providing control signal from microcontroller isolated using transformer winded on a ferrite ring.

However, the chip requires 12-20V DC to be turned on and it cannot be fed mains voltage unlike other drivers. I was wondering building a small SMPS with 15V output isolated with optocoupler from mains. Can I combine mains rectified voltages negative side with SMPS 15V negative and directly connect 15V from SMPS to chips power pin?
I am planning to use isolated DC-DC to power up microcontroller as well.


What could go wrong ?

davekni, thank you for your reply.

resonance frequency of my sytem is about 400,000Hz. This means I will be having high frequency input signal to power transistor as well. I think my second circuit is going to address that issue, but problem is that on low frequency there is no protection. ( I will be turning it on 200 times per second with short impulses (200 us long))


I was planning to run in on low power, thanks for your suggestion!

Thanks for your answer.

I was worried about the same issue. I though it would not explode if I shorted it for a short period of time. I have additional light bulb in series before something explodes it will turn on and absorb energy.


BUT: I have a question.

Aren't we technically shoring main supply to ground in half bridge case? since primary actually has very low ohmic resistance?

Hello, this is my first time building a tesla coil. (Im not new to electronics but I am new to tesla coil)



This is my schematic.  (Single power transistor 2D2499)

https://ibb.co/mH873T1

I generate signal using a microcontroller. However, for the safety, before rectifying 220 AC. I have ligh bulb (65 ohm) connected in series
for short circuit protection. Basically, if transistor would blow up, light bulb would turn on.

However there is very weird thing going on!

When I turn the system on lightbulb turn on for a short time (until capacitors charge) and everything seems normal. then I start generating square wave from micronotroller and lightbulb TURNS ON!!!

On lower frequencies (4-100khz) it is very bright.
However about at RESONANCE FREQUENCY it is emitting much less light! but I do not have any sparks on sound from tesla coil. It cannot even turn on fluorescent light.

What is going on ? Is my lightbulb limiting current ?
If I remove it my circuit breaker might go crazy. Any advice