Re: Jim Mitchell SSTC help!

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

Original poster: Fucian-at-aol-dot-com 

Hey,
I have the same board and mine works great. Mine was working awful until i 
made some mods to it though. It sounded just like yours....

1st-Throw out the 555...You wont need it after im done with ya ;-)

2nd-Place a jumper wire from pin 3 of BOTH UCC chips. This is the enable pin.
3rd- Build an interruptor based on the 555 seperate from board. Run a wire 
from its output to the jumper wire connecting your UCC chips.You can use 
the 5volt reg to power your interruptor as well. there is an empty hole 
that will allow you to run a wire this way. This interruptor will save your 
UCCs as well as your bridge and give you much better output!

4- Put a small heatsink on top of the UCC chips and make sure your 
regulators have good sized heatsinks, just incase yuo go nuts and turn up 
the interruptor too much;-)

5-Check your GDT waveforms again and MAKE sure you are getting a decent 
wave...Also, make sure the GDT is phased right. If not, you will burn 
things up.

I am currently running a fullbridge of IRFP460s with this driver. It rarely 
gets warm, even at high power. I have a small(4in by 9in-28awg) secondary 
and a 3 turn primary. I am getting about 12in max POWERFUL arcs. UCCs get 
warm. Whats your half bridge look like?

I am here to help in any way possible!Hang in there, Jim's baord does work.
Matt