Re: SSTC2 - Four Foot Arcs . . . well until . . .

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Daniel McCauley by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>


That is a good idea.  Yeah, it definity seems you need the voltage to get
long arcs in SSTC's.
Oh well . . . now to get back to my conventional coil.

Dan



> One thing I try to do if I think things like explosions may happen is to
> set up a video camcorder off in the corner.  It just sits there recording
> the "scene" and records any sudden "event" for later study.  Sometimes,
> like this, you may be able to go back and see where the smoke "started"
and
> have a better chance of fixing it before the next $200 of FETs.  Also make
> great movies just for general enjoyment ;-)
>
> Sounds like the FETs overheated or the electronics turned them all on at
> the same time, but always hard to know...  You PC board is (was...)
beutiful!!
>
> We don't often here of solid state coils doing foor foot arcs!!!  Very
> impressive!  Sorry about the explosion, but stuff like that does make
> things "interesting"...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Terry
>
>
> At 10:38 AM 8/6/2002 -0400, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >I had time to fiddle with my SSTC2 (as seen on www.spacecatlighting-dot-com)
> >some more while waiting for additional components for my conventional
tesla
> >coil.
> >
> >I used a 240VAC, 40A variac to power my 5kVA 120VAC to 480VAC step-up
> >transformer to provide power to my full-bridge SSTC circuit.
> >
> >Today was the first day I would bring my coil up to full design voltage
> >(480VAC) and it was spectacular.  At 480VAC I was getting wickedly thick
> >(and thunderous low frequency loud) arcs over four feet in length
shooting
> >upwards (through my discharge point) on my toroid up to the pipes in my
> >basement ceiling.  I've seen conventional coils run at similar arc
lengths,
> >but nothing as thick and sinister as these things were.
> >
> >20 seconds pass . . .
> >
> >Hmmm . . . whats that smell . . . maybe i should be paying more attention
to
> >it.  Yeah, but this is too cool.  Let me grab my camera in the other
room.
> >
> >. . . walking the 10 feet i need to other room to get my camera . . .
BANG,
> >BANG, BANG,    SCHKLLLAAMMMMMAMMMMM  ! ! ! ! !
> >
> >"OH F#$-at-!!!!!"  Fire on the carpet, fire on the carpet . . .
> >
> >Well, too make stories short, all four 1000V FETS (IXFN24N100 type) blew
up
> >to smithereens.  No, these didn't just crack and blow some smoke, they
> >actually blew up and some of the schrapnel had landed on a nearby throw
rug
> >and set it on fire . . .
> >
> >Darn, those things were $70.00 each ! ! ! !
> >
> >Well, it was spectacular while it lasted . . .
> >
> >Dan
> >
>
>
>
>