Re: Needed: SSTC History and Achievements

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

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>

Hi Dan,

Looks like the list is back on-line.  I have replaced four hard drives in 
the last few weeks...  Qwest's mail servers are down at the moment...  I 
guess it is computer repair season ;-p

At 03:03 PM 6/8/2004, you wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>I'm trying to compile a historical list of SSTC achievements and its
>evolution.  In particular I'm looking to find out major accomplishments and
>firsts in the field with names and dates (year).  I'm looking to use this
>information for a presentation I'm giving and also to document it officially
>on my website.
>
>
>So far, I've come up with a basic historical framework which I've gathered
>from some information from Richie Burnett and a few others.
>
>Please respond with all your comments, corrections, additions, etc... so
>that I can add them etc...
>Also, i made up the different generation names just in a feeble attempt to
>organize different accomplishments.
>Also, if you think the categories are bogus, let me know also.
>
>First Generation SSTCs
>******************
>First SSTCs were made using TV flyback transformers (dates anyone?)

Gosh!!  Probably when the first solid state TV flyback circuits came 
on-line...  I am sure somebody was making sparks with the thing just to 
play with (test) it...  That will be a tough one to be sure on...  Maybe 
look for patents...


>Second Generation SSTCs
>*********************
>Duane Bylund's Magnifier driver using bipolar devices (dates?)
>Alan Sharp's work using MOSFETs and ferrites to base-feed secondary
>resonators (dates?)

Better defined now...  Hopefully the folks involved are still around and 
can fill in the comments.


>Third Generation SSTCs (full-bridge topologies)
>*************************************
>Mark Barton first to use full-bridge topology and primary driven SSTC (early
>1990's?)
>Rob Lytle first to pulse SSTC using half-bridge topology claiming to get
>spark gap coil like arcs (early 1990's?)
>Richie Burnett - contributions in how full-bridge inverter actually works
>when driving resonant loads (dates?)
>Richie Burnett - first to audio modulate solid state tesla coil (2001)
>Daniel McCauley - first 3MHz SSTC tesla coil - full bridge topology (2003)
>Richie Burnett - 4MHz RF Class-E? tesla coil (2004)

Yep!!!


>Fourth Generation SSTCs (self-resonant topologies)
>****************************************
>Jan Wagner (first self resonant design???)
>Justin Hayes (first self-resonant antenna design) (2002?)
>Steve Ward - first Marx-type inverter based SSTC
>Jimmy Hynes - first DRSSTC
>Steve Ward - first ISSTC

Yep!!


>OLTC work ? ? ? (i have no clue about names in this category - please fill
>in with appropriate dates) and what category it should go in.


I guess "me" :o))  I think this is the first public mention of it.  The 
exact links are probably broken, but I still have the files...

http://www.pupman-dot-com/listarchives/2002/July/msg01008.html

A BIG history text file I made to "remember" it all is at:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/Off-LineTeslaCoils(OLTC).txt

This should be very helpful to you!!!

MANY others helped me a lot!!  So I can't claim that much of the final 
thing was "my" idea...  Steve has taken it far further than I...

But in my case...  I was sitting at work, bored out of my mind, and started 
to play with the idea using big IGBTs at low voltage with low inductance to 
get high primary currents...  I think that was ~Friday July 19th, 
2002...  I got excited that it seemed doable inspired by primary to 
secondary coupling coefficient modeling with Mark R's program suggesting 
that the coupling to a single turn very low inductance primary would be 
high enough to make it all work...  That was the real stunning "key" that 
unlocked it all...  I realize I have never properly written it all up 
despite the fact I started an on-line journal sort of for this very purpose...

www.jamsci-dot-org

I think I had maybe the first idea in a possibly "practical" design.  Many 
others contributed to make it actually work.  Steve and others have 
extended the art far beyond me...  I sort of feel like an old time "fossil" 
in the art now ;-))  Like the first appearance of a mud puppy with feet or 
something :o)))  Nice to know they learned to walk and now FLY with the OLTC!!!

Cheers,

         Terry



>Please comment on anything thats incorrect, missing, or whatever.
>
>Thanks much!
>
>Dan