[Home][2015 Index]
Hello David. I must congratulate you on such an ingenious method of solving the problems I normally encounter in getting a SRSG up and running. Admittedly synchronous three-phase motors are as uncommon as single phase synchronous motors, but if your current troubles (no pun) could be sorted you would have a precise method of achieving what is normally done by John's phase controller circuit and the machining of the rotor on a 1 phase motor. I couldn't add anything useful to what William has already said, but shielding may be the solution as from what you say: <Quote>" But when I put on a high voltage transformer, even a small 7.5kv,......." </quote> This appears not to be confined to just the one (possibly leaky) transformer, as you've tried several. Post some video links when sorted please. Regards Phil Tuck www.hvtesla.com -----Original Message----- From: Tesla [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Boyle Sent: 25 July 2015 15:03 To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [TCML] vfd spikes and high current draw I have a 3 phase 208v synchronous motor that starts up in the same position every time. To sync it to the ac line as well, I had to build my own vfd since nobody makes one with an external sync input. I used a microcontroller connected to a 3 phase power driver board. I built a daughter board that sits on the mcu to handle input and output. On it I built a high precision zero crossing detector that makes a 30 usec pulse. The mcu software homes in on and locks onto the ac line which can be anywhere from 59.5 to 60.5 hz. When it has locked on I can push a button and 6 pwm signals go out through optocouplers to the driver board and the motor spins. I built an led strobe that fires on the peak of the ac line and it shows me that my disk is firmly locked in sync. The best part is a little switch that allows me to shift the phase 1 degree of rotation at a time, either clockwise or counterclockwise while still maintaining lock. The 3 phase power signals exit the driver board and go through a shielded cable into my resonator box. All of this works great. But when I put on a high voltage transformer, even a small 7.5kv, the 3-phase driver board shuts off and the motor dies. When I kill the transformer, the motor comes back up again. The status lights and switches on the mcu continue as usual so I know that it's unaffected. As an alternative to running the motor and spinning the disk I can rotate it into electrode alignment and run it as a static spark gap with a small fan for quenching. In fact I have some videos from last night! See here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bkdh39okma22q2j/2015-07-25%2001.26.54.mp4?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/71yfyuhpgutm5b5/2015-07-25%2001.28.40.mp4?dl=0 I get 4 feet of sparks while running in this crazy motor stationary mode but the whole rig pulls 30 amps. So I want to add some tvs diodes to protect the driver board. Thank you for your time and attention! On 15-07-24 07:56 AM, Phil wrote: > Hello, > > You mention that the motor is synchronous (SRSG) but it's fed by a > three-phase line. As the unit is a VFD are you varying the frequency and > trying to match the motor rpm speed to the mains frequency to get > synchronous operation that way? If so how are you varying the firing point > as the John Fraeu phase controller is based on single phase working? > On the issue itself, I would look at adding Ferrite cores on the leads, and > the VFD in a shielded box, or better still getting rid of the VFD and just > have a normal single phase motor modified to synchronous. > I blew a switched-off VFD on a lathe once when the unit was inside a shed > around 8 feet away from a 4 inch coil that had a good local RF earth running > outside. That was solely because I left the plug in (UK plugs have an earth > connection from the house earth) so I think that VFD's are always a > liability when around coils. > Depending on the bps used the current draw should be lower, as 120 or 240 > bps operation should give a better PF than a static can. > > > Regards > Phil Tuck > > www.hvtesla.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Tesla [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of teslafirma > Sent: 23 July 2015 12:57 > To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [TCML] vfd spikes and high current draw > > I have finally got my tesla coil working and now I can start to > optimize it. My biggest problem is that the 3 phase power line that > feeds > my srsg motor picks up transients and shuts down the 3 phase driver > board. I used a shielded cable but it's still too noisy. When I measure > between the 3 legs my meter shows an uncanny 120.0 volts each. So my > plan is to multiply 120 by root 2 which is about 170, buy 6 tvs diodes > at slightly more, say 172 volts, and wire them up with a load - a small > light bulb. This way, when spikes threaten my driver board, the diodes > will vent them through the light bulb and I can see it flashing. I plan > to do this on both sides of the wire, next to the coil and inside my > control box. Does > that sound reasonable? > > I can still run my coil without the spark gap motor by turning > the disk to orient the electrodes into firing position and running it as > a static spark gap. I put a small fan for quenching on one side and I > get 4 foot sparks from my pair of 15kv/60ma nst's. The problem there is > that I'm pulling about 31 amps and that's not sustainable. My > transformers have 200 uf of power factor correcting caps and an rf > filter. If I > clean up the motor line enough to spin the disk I'm hoping that I'll > pull a lot less current. Any advice will be greatly appreciated! > > _______________________________________________ > Tesla mailing list > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx > http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla > > _______________________________________________ > Tesla mailing list > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx > http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla > _______________________________________________ Tesla mailing list Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla _______________________________________________ Tesla mailing list Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla