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>

Thanks.  Unfortunately, these FETs are not your typical run of the mill
FETs.  They are way heavy-duty and the package itself
utilizes screws for interconnects rather than leads.  Also, the package is
about the size of half a deck of cards.  Digikey is probably the cheapest at
$50.00 each . . .

Dan





> Welcome to the club, Dan.  Check Future/Active for replacements: they're
> generally a lot cheaper than DigiKey.  I've bought hundreds of MOSFETs
> from them, most all gone bye-bye now & often in the same way.  At least
> mine were "only" $3 each...
>
> KCH
>
> On Tue, 06 Aug 2002 12:39:00 -0600 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> writes:
> > Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz
> > <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
> >
> >
> >
> > I had time to fiddle with my SSTC2 (as seen on
> > www.spacecatlighting-dot-com)
> > some more while waiting for additional components for my
> > conventional tesla
> > coil.
> >
> > I used a 240VAC, 40A variac to power my 5kVA 120VAC to 480VAC
> > step-up
> > transformer to provide power to my full-bridge SSTC circuit.
> >
> > Today was the first day I would bring my coil up to full design
> > voltage
> > (480VAC) and it was spectacular.  At 480VAC I was getting wickedly
> > thick
> > (and thunderous low frequency loud) arcs over four feet in length
> > shooting
> > upwards (through my discharge point) on my toroid up to the pipes in
> > my
> > basement ceiling.  I've seen conventional coils run at similar arc
> > lengths,
> > but nothing as thick and sinister as these things were.
> >
> > 20 seconds pass . . .
> >
> > Hmmm . . . whats that smell . . . maybe i should be paying more
> > attention to
> > it.  Yeah, but this is too cool.  Let me grab my camera in the other
> > room.
> >
> > . . . walking the 10 feet i need to other room to get my camera . .
> > .  BANG,
> > BANG, BANG,    SCHKLLLAAMMMMMAMMMMM  ! ! ! ! !
> >
> > "OH F#$-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
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>