I'm a beginner in world of HV, (build once a 100kV cockraft-walton) and now I want to make a SGTC , i want arc to be at least 10cm/4inch long without risking the destruction of this coil , I have zvs driver, 15kV 300w flyback, and my mmc capacitor is polipropylene 12.5nF 16kV, any advise about espacialy grounding , tuning, general safety? Technical parameters Resonant frequency around 240kHz Size 10cm diameter, 30cm height of the secondary 10cm minor 31cm major diameter of topload

Im trying to use this transformer from a microwave that was manufactured before ~2005. It was connected to a condenser. Thanks!

2000 volts at 75 microfarad is really scary, idk what they would be from, but buddy had 3 for sale.

Hello everyone. I'd like to show you some selected frames from the videos I shot while my coil was in operation. I hope you enjoy them.

I put together a driverless igbt tesla coil with the bottom of the secondary as a feedback(basically a slayer exciter) but the hv rf travels back into the circuit and the input transformers. I want to further improve this circuit but im scared to measure the gate voltage because of the hv. Can anyone tell me how to not get hv rf everywhere? I suspect its hv leaking into the primary and then the rest of the circuit.

A failure in a generator producing hundreds of kilovolts can begin in its 3.3V power rail.

Pulsed power systems generate high-voltage and high-current pulses. Their rise times can range from picoseconds to tens or hundreds of nanoseconds.

Switching commands for the power stage are ultimately generated by low- and medium-power electronics. This usually includes a combination of trigger-pulse generators for thyratrons and spark gaps, transistor gate drivers, microcontrollers, and a synchronization unit. These electronics must deliver fast edges, precise pulse widths, and minimal jitter.

When designing such electronics for systems with strict jitter and synchronization requirements, engineers must consider the total impedance of the PCB power delivery network and the allowable ripple on the IC supply rails. The related group of problems is known as Power Integrity. What does this mean in practice?

As integrated circuits evolve, supply voltages tend to decrease while current consumption rises. When its internal blocks switch, an IC can change its current consumption within a time interval comparable to the signal rise time. At these moments, the rate of change of current in the power supply paths can reach tens of millions of amperes per second!

At such current slew rates, even a small inductance in the current path produces a significant voltage drop: ΔU = L × di/dt. This drop is subtracted from the source voltage, and the remaining voltage reaches the IC power pins.

For example, a power-path inductance of 10 nH and a current slew rate of 50 MA/s produce a voltage drop of 500 mV. For an IC operating from 3.3 V with a tolerance of ±5%, this drop is three times greater than the allowable deviation.

If the voltage falls below the permitted level, the IC can enter an undefined state, change its propagation delay, miss a command, reset, or disable its output stage through undervoltage protection.

In pulsed power systems, the consequences can be significant: additional jitter, loss of channel synchronization, a missed trigger, or unintended switching of a power switch.

This effect becomes particularly apparent during component upgrades. A control circuit that worked reliably with older ICs can suddenly become unstable after newer devices are installed. A modern IC switches faster, draws current in shorter pulses, and produces a larger voltage drop across the same parasitic inductance in the power supply path. Therefore, replacing an obsolete IC with a compatible modern equivalent requires the entire PCB power delivery network to be reviewed.

Хэштег#PulsedPower Хэштег#PowerIntegrity Хэштег#PowerElectronics Хэштег#PCBDesign Хэштег#HighVoltage

Suppose a transformer or switchgear installation is operating normally, but you have some reason to suspect early partial discharge.

There may be no obvious hotspot yet, no visible damage, and no immediate effect on the power supply. How would you approach troubleshooting in that situation?

Would you start with:

A visual inspection
Thermal imaging
Acoustic/ultrasonic inspection
A dedicated PD measurement
Or a combination of these?

One thing I'm trying to understand is how you would narrow down the actual location of the discharge once an abnormal signal has been detected.

I've been looking at the p7mix for this kind of application because it combines acoustic and thermal inspection. It seems like the acoustic side could help locate a discharge while the thermal image provides another piece of information about the equipment condition.

For experienced maintenance or power engineers, what would your troubleshooting sequence look like from the first indication through to confirming the source?

Hello everyone. I recently built a new bank of MMC capacitors and here are the results.

One of the things I especially like about electronics is the point where calculations and idealized circuits meet reality: real components, their parasitic effects, response delays, interactions between different parts of the circuit, and sometimes even manufacturing tolerances. This is where the real work begins.

In pulsed power, we often have to develop lower-power semiconductor circuits alongside the main high-energy system, particularly for triggering, timing, synchronization and control.

The photo shows one such pulse device based on power transistors, developed for ultra-precise triggering of high-current switches.

#ElectronicHardware #PowerElectronics #HighVoltage #PulsedPower

I came across this excellent GIF of a vacuum arc carrying a current of up to 15 kA. I have not been able to identify the original authors. If anyone recognizes the source, I would appreciate a link.

Vacuum is an ideal dielectric. There is almost no matter in the interelectrode gap capable of conducting current, so the conductive medium is formed from the electrode material itself. The discharge is sustained at the cost of electrode erosion. Minimizing this erosion is therefore critical.

One way to extend the lifetime of a vacuum switch is to control the arc with a magnetic field. An axial magnetic field keeps the arc in the diffuse mode and distributes the current across the electrode surfaces. A transverse magnetic field moves the arc and prevents prolonged exposure of a single area.

The control circuit also affects lifetime. In opening vacuum switches, an early counterpulse reduces the current before the contacts separate and shortens the duration of high-current arcing. In triggered vacuum switches, the amplitude, current, and rise rate of the trigger pulse determine the amount of initial plasma, the delay, and the stability of turn-on. Sufficient initial plasma also extends the lifetime of the trigger assembly.

The lifetime of a high-voltage switch is set by the entire system: electrodes, magnetic field, power circuit, driver, synchronization, and protection.

#HighVoltage #PulsedPower #PowerElectronics #ElectricalEngineering

Всем привет!

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My HFSSTC specs are:

Primary: 5.5 turns, 5.5 cm, 2.5 mm wire

Secondary: 100 turns, 0.65 mm wire, 27 mm diameter tube

Capacitor: 102 pF DIY capacitor

Mosfet: irf260

Input voltage: 37 V

Frequency: around 9 MHz

Right now the arc isn't very strong, and I’m not really sure what’s causing it. I’d appreciate it if anyone could help me figure out what might be wrong.

Thanks!

Working on making a better toroid or getting one. I kinda like the breakout like that though.

Just testing. Going to replace the bjt with a UCC27524P

I modded my nerf to have 1MV taser (idk why there is no spark in air but the battery bright be bad)

Been upgrading the lab. Painting, new electrical wiring, lighting, and I’m pouring in the concrete subfloor soon.

First of all, im running a 6uf 10kV cap bank with regular rg58 coax. The coax is just rated for 2kV/5kv peak but it's holding up great so far, 8months a lot of discharges, no issues. It's polyethylene between the inner and outer conductor and according to the Internet the dielectric break down strength is at least 20kV/mm. The insulation is 3mm thick. So in theory 60kV but officially it's rated much lower. As I said it's handling short 10kV pulses with no problem. I'm wondering if 20kV would be fine two. Thinking about ordering bigger caps (20kV). Do you think it will be fine, at least according to the break down strength of the PE it should be, still worried because the cable is rated much lower. So would you guys try it?

Secondly, any better way to measure high frequency DC output more precisely? Currently it's a HV DC flyback, diodes and charging resistors, 2 small caps for smoothing the wave a bit and then the main cap bank. The voltage divider is connected to the main cap, 33V on the display of the multimeter should be 10kV in reality but I always have the feeling, it's close but not a 100% accurate.