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Re: Terry's DRSSTC - Class Of Operation?

Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Steve,

At 07:18 AM 5/2/2005, you wrote: 
>The days of "fully electronic" Tesla coils
>being controlled by 50MHz micro-processors
>is almost upon us!!

>Oh yes, you can add a "Dial-A-Mile" pot too,
>for distance control.

Lol! I suppose I'm not alone then in thinking that
Terry has just gone too far with computer control.

:o))) The microcontrollers have version with ethernet so I could control it from the web too :o)))) Maybe the coil could have artificial intelligence so it could run when "it" feels like it :o)))

All I have changed is "software" which is cool. But it might really be easier and faster to change a few resistors too... But the uP is really nice for setting precise timeing....

As
far as we know the best performance for DRSSTCs (in
terms of spark inches out per watt in) is had by just
using 50-120 bursts per second, each burst being
100-300 microseconds long. In other words- not unlike a
sparkgap coil with a 120bps sync rotary.


But I don't think those tests went to high enough BPS...


You can do that with a 555 timer and two pots. Mind you
it would be cool if Terry discovered some digital pulse
sequence that made the sparks grow even better :)

Testing will tell if the streamer really are "better". That has not really been shown yet. Weather has to clear...


However I don't want to sound too jaded about computer
control. I have just been working (with Finn Hammer) on
a special SSTC interrupter that gives an output that
looks and sounds like a lightning strike. It uses a PIC
micro to generate a fancy sequence of bursts that we
figured out by trial and error. We couldn't have done
that with a couple of 555 timers :-p

Computer control just adds flexibility, fancy readouts, and precise control. "Normally", all that is not very important. Obviously, I have used the computer control to go beyond "normal" ;-))

Cheers,

        Terry



Steve
Conner