Electronic Designs, High Voltage, Vacuum Tubes, Teardowns, Reviews, Repairs and Travel Videos :-) I started the channel initially as a way to show Status updates of my Prototyping Work, but after some Time I thought that eventually some of my content could be interesting for others too. To prevent the Channel getting Dry Technical, there will be Fun Technical Videos & Videos form my Country GREECE, my Hometown Thessaloniki, as well other Travel Videos. All my Videos are unscripted & unedited, what means that there will be some misspelling and eventually some brain-farts :-) I am into Electronics since I was 13 Years Old, way back then I was building Power AM & FM so called "Amateur” Tube Transmitters in Greece. I always loved and love Tubes & RF Stuff, High Voltage, Analog and Power Electronics. 1982 I started Studying Computer Science in the Technical University in Vienna/Austria. Since 1985 I am into developing RF, Analog, SMPS and Power Electronics.
Assuming your schematic is complete, the MCU (Novatron) is in the feedback path to control voltage/current, or am I missing something. If true then a much faster, even DSP like MCU should have been used.
You could MOD the D/A using an board with 3 x 74HC165's (for 24 bit to serial convert, a MCU (8-pin Sop-8 ) like ATTiny13A/85, PIC12F629/675, or if feeling adventurous a PMS150C (the 3c micro), plus whatever 12-bit DAC(s) to taste and then do a lot of wiring (only a few track will need to be cut on the PSU). WHAM BAM, THANK YOU MAMA and you have no more magnetic influence issues!
I just noticed that they are using 3 x 74HC595's, so a smarter idea would be to use a MCU serial in port ad do away with ALL THOSE WIRES! Feel dumb for not noticing! :(
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis I just made it to the breadboard stage before finding one of the 150 watt inverters like you had in the video. Mine was TL494 based, But I was having trouble finding fast rectifiers for the voltage I was making. 1N4005 diodes worked, but would heat up. The 150 watt inverters had the rectifiers, so a little good filtering and I was set. My amplifiers are low powered so I barely loaded the PSU.
Hi Joseph, the 1N4xxx are to slow(trr Recovery time) that's why they heat up, you need Ultrafast ones like the UF4007 (NOT 1N4007) are for 1kV 1A 75nS rectifiers. I use UF5408 same Ultrafast 75nS but for 3A for Currents less that 1A and Through-hole. The onboard one are ok but not for 100-150W. Cheers, Konstantin
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis I finally bought some from amazon, but by then was using the 150 watt inverters. I make these audio amplifiers from strange parts.. I have used horizontal output tubes as finals. I was driving thermostat transformers as output transformers. They are 480vac to 24 vac. and I used neon lamps as voltage regulator for the screen voltage. Oddly enough, it sounded wonderful. It makes approximately 3.5 watts per channel.
The sense on the cs pin is to limit the current cycle by cycle as a part of the Regulation, the sensing via the 393 is used to Shut it complete down in a ocp situation like a crowbar, donno why they did it so, its redundant .
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis CHEAP BASTARDS, that is why :) I have no idea, and although trivial, I still would love to know, as even back then slope compensation was very well known.
I LOVE the TL494, but I UTTERLY HATE that it does not have push pull outputs. Some of the GREAT things about it is that it is stable & predictable resulting in easy use.
Hi Steven, you can use the TL598 instead that has PushPull outputs and some more feautures, but unfortunately it's not 1:1 pin Cpmpatible. Cheers, Konstantin
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis Yeah, but I cannot get it for pennies like I can but fake TL494's on AliExpress! :) Seriously, it is expensive, way more that other BETTER chips sadly, otherwise I would have hundreds in stock like I have the TL494. ...not fakes! :)
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis I don't see an email there that's why I am asking. And I am not really in a hurry, just thought you are perhaps a good match for what I might need, so I am willing to wait...
Hi Alessandro, Thankyou! The Tl494 is not TotemPole it has Diccrete Transistor Outputs. The TL598 is a 1:1 replacement with a TotemPole Output that is a lot Better but still ancient. For new Designs for PushPull and Half/Full Bridge I would use the UCC3808 series From TI, even though more restricted in means of Error Amplifiers , but with a Cycle by Cycle Current Limmiting. Cheers, Konstantin
6:52 i have the same inverter module but with the double output. Not yet tested, but you mentioned in your previous video to replace the capacitors with some more reliable ones. So that will be the first thing that i'm gonna do before i start experimenting with it. I don't want Cape Canaveral on my bench :-) Your own design is a very nice design and will be much more reliable. Thanks again for this great video. Grtz
Hi Yes I realised the misnaming at the moment I said it :-) but I couldn’t remember the Brand even that I use it a lot, I get them from lcsc. Cheers, Konstantin
Hello Thankyou, this depends on how good the Transformer is Designed and Build, how good the Mosfets are matched (RDS ON) and the DeatTime . Otherwise it could lead to transformer saturation.
Yasou Ntino! Nice video with lots of details as always. Before you use these transformers for your project, I would highly recommend you to dismantle one and check if they use copper wire and most importantly if they fulfill the basic isolation standards for your own safety. I have seen Chinese transformers without margin tape at the ends and with primary and secondary windings overlapping each other at the end of the bobbin and because they want to make them even cheaper, they use copper coated aluminum wire which will increase the losses quite a lot.
Giasou Thoma, Thankyou! 1) I have done that already (I dismantle everything 🙂) and the Isolation was ok 2 layers of Tape Between between Pri/Sec in more layers, no overlapping Pri/sec without tape. Please condider, that in this Design we do NOT Deal with Mains Reference or Rectified Mains, what would make it Safety Critical, its an PushPull from 12V! Even if something goes wrong (Short Pri/Sec), the Primary Circuitry will fail(Destroyed) and that's it! I no see any elevated Safety issues here except at the working end of the PSU (High Voltage)! Further these Transformers are used in the Majority of the Commercial low-cost CN Inverters ! 2) Regarding CU coated AL, well that's how it is, again in the Majority of the Asian Magnetics used even in Brand name PC PSU's, this is something we have to live with. Expecting for that Price a pure copper Magnetic is probably illusion. Further this is NOT a commercial Design. Cheers, Konstantin
Hello from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Konstantin! Your informative videos continue to fascinate us. WE like your presentation format and the close-ups reveal good details. You speak intelligently and your presentation is very logical. We enjoy how you patiently read through the schematic diagrams with explanations and provide actual set-up details and live measurements. Excellent work!
Hi Luc, Thankyou very much and Greetings from Vienna/Austria! You say "WE" , you mean more of your friends watch my Videos ? Cheers from a little to warm Vienna :-)
Thanks for sharing. I use it as stabilized screen supply for push-pull 7189 pentode stereo amplifier. 300 V, 10-50 mA. Removed unnecessary bulky parts: fuse holder (replace with 40 AWG jumper wire), screw terminals, LED, trim pot (replace with 2.2K resistor), all electrolyte caps (bad quality indeed). In freed-up space added 10 uF stack of ceramic wafer filter caps, 1 mH iron powder core filter toroid, and 10 uF 450 V Nichicon second filter cap. Plus additional outboard LC filtering element. The module screwed to aluminum chassis by heat sink, with thermal paste between sink and chassis - for better cooling.
Hi Anatoly, Thankyou! Yes as I said its some Work necessary to get these Modules output "Cleaner". I would be interested to see how the 10uf Stack of Ceramics look ! What additional LC Filtering element you men/use ? My Email is in the Channel Description Tab. Cheers, Konstantin
Everybody I've talked to is dead set aginst swithcers for Ham eauipment. They are way to noisy. You mentioned using one for transmiter tubes, so be careful about high frequency noise getting through you transmitter.
Hi Richard, well all modern professional(not Amateur) Power RF TX / RX are using Switchmode PSU's, Today even in medicine where its dealed with nV, SMPS's are used, of course correctly designed ones.
Sir, whats the best way to tune this circuit for other frequency? I understand its with the gate driver tri-filar transformer, but is only with LTspice?
Hello, The Frequency is specified by the used Transducer, to change Frequency the transducer has to be changed the L2 Inductor and the T1 & T2 need to be recalculated eventually.
Thank you sir, I've been playing around with ZVS driver now for a couple of years now powering CRT transformer for fun. So yes I have 100khz transducer and was wondering if lt spice is a good software to simulate the circuitry if I plan on rewinding the torroid, the choke and the pulse transformer.
Hi Robert, KORAD is the manufacturer of those psu’s, you will see them under many different OEM names, they are basically the same, unless that some OEM habe requested slightly differences.(specs and usage Eventually) .
Hi Bjorn :-) No, the Power Rails is clean and the MCU Generates the Sweep on purpose (that's the only reason to use a MCU), perhaps to cover a wide range of Coils that van be used. Cheers, Konstantin
Hi, I remember a few years ago i was playing with one of these high voltage generators and destroyed one of my lab power supplies, I had not tied the negative of the supply to ground 😞. Are these units you demonstrated for continuous operation as I have a decretive discharge lamp that I need to repair. It's a big green mushroom 🙂 Keep the video coming.
Hi Dave, about continuous operation, it depends what current y lamp draws and if the modules are powered with 12-15v only, what are the specs of your lamp ?
Nice project. Are there terminals/connector to read the scaled output voltage setting and cap leakage current? I was looking for something around the volt set potentiometer. I am thinking it would be nice to use the cheap Chinese LED voltmeter modules to display output voltage and current.
Hi Darren, Thankyou! The Modules of the Video are just the HV Flyback Converters for the Future Cap Leakage Design which will be MCU based and display both Set Voltage and Leakage at the Set Voltage on a LCD Display. The Cap Leakage Tester will have switchable: 1) a 12 Pos Switch forming a Voltage Divider String for standard High Voltages 2) a 10Turn Pot to set the High Voltage Freely 2) a 12 Pos Switch forming a Voltage Divider String for standard Low Voltages < 50V or so Cheers, Konstantin
@@KonstantinGrigoriadis My first interrest goes for the hv module. Reusing the parts for a better module with real world specoifications (without the need to cool it down to near zero Kelvin like Ali express does it). I am interested in getting the ripple voltage down to a minimum.
High Tony, the Transformer uses an EFD25/13/9 Core that will deliver Max ca. 20W(according to Magnetics Datasheet), that probably was intended for a Capacitor Charger for Photography Studio Flash(my Assumption :-). The Transformer gets Warm when these max 20W are exceeded and bcs the transformer is probably not designed to work with a duty Cycle more then 50%, which is the case using the UC3843 Chip that goes up to almost 100% Duty. In my Redesign of the Module for the Capacitor Leakage Tester, I will never reach these 20W. The most important is to not exceed those 20 W (the Magnetic Datasheet states it even for less 18W) and to use higher Input Voltage (19-24V Laptop PSU), to keep the Duty Cycle as near as Possible to 50% by using the Whole Secondary Winding instead only the Half ! Cheers, Konstantin
Got this module for testing transistors for their avalanche properties (for a Jim Williams fast edge pulse generator) works nice, I only used up to 250v. Just I'll be adding a filter on the output, something at least 22uH inductor and a second capacitor, probably a few ceramics too, I don't need a lot of juice but lower noise will be nice, I didn't measured the noise but probably be way more than 10Vpp.
Hi Ruben, the LC lowpass is nessesary , I would suggest additionally a ferrite bead 1000ohm@100Mhz followed by a 10nf HV Ceramic. This Module IS noisy :-)
I have used one of these modules for a stereo PCL86 amplifier. 13V for the filament and for the converter. But I don't trust it much. The transformer gets very hot. I think its at the limit it can handle. I disabled the negative rail output on mine: it had less power capability than the positive out, anyway. And when I draw power from the positive out, the negative rail was climbing in voltage as it stayed unloaded, fearing capacitor explosion. I think the transformer could be replaced by a more powerful one from an old smps, but used backwards?? One from a 12v 60+ watts?
Hello Josep, The Transformer uses an EFD25/13/9 Core that will deliver Max ca. 20W(according to Magnetics Datasheet), that probably was intended for a Capacitor Charger for Photography Studio Flash(my Assumption :-). The Transformer gets Warm when these max 20W are exceeded and bcs the transformer is probably not designed to work with a duty Cycle more then 50%, which is the case using the UC3843 Chip that goes up to almost 100% Duty. In my Design I don't use the CT of the Secondary, I use the Sec in Total. As for more Power, I would make a new Design with a better Transformer made on my specs in China. I don't use Salvaged Transformers that are not available en mass(like the one of the Module, or on other Widely available Modules), bcs this makes it a one of project and I want my Designs repeatable. But for a on off project the salvaged one would do, although UN-optimized and the SMPS from where you use the transformer must be a Flyback one(Laptop PSU for ex.), PC PSU' are mostly HalfBridge Designs or Better. To get 300V and above I would use available (what I will show in a future Video) Aliexpress transformers for PushPull Operation >= 100W. Flyback is noisy, I prefer PushPull for Audio and RF when i need to Power HV equipment from Low Voltage. Cheers, Konstantin
Very nice and useful tester. I have a question. We are working on this module to make DIY solar inverter. The module is constantly blasting its ir2110. We put a dip and then some improvement make. But now some time it tested loaf for few minutes with 5-8 amp. But after few attempt it module controller got damaged without any reason. You make any inverter with it?
Hello, Thankyou! 1) Are you using the EGS002 in High Voltage & Frequency Mode or in Low Voltage & Low Frequency mode ? 2) if you use it at Low Freq Mode, you use a Iron or Toroid Transformer ? 3) another reason the IRxxx blow can be due to fake or bad quality...(I had that) I only use drivers bought from a reliable source when using it on Low Frequency Mode. Both make a a big difference on how good or bad the Module will work. Yes i used it with China High Frequency Inverter Board, with no Problems. Problems mostly occur with Iron and even more Toroid Transformers in use, but there are some Solutions. Cheers, Konstantin
Interesting project, I have some old IGBTs from a large variable frequency drive that i have been saving for many years. Looks like i have a use for at least one. I would be very kind if i could have the diagram so i can give it a go. Thanks Dave,
Hello Dave, Thankyou. For the Load you should use IGBT's or Power Mosfets that have a DC SOA shown in the datasheet and stay in this SOA, you will see that even the IGBT can do Pulswise even Kilowatts , in DC its much much much less :-) If you operate these Power devices in Linear DC mode out of their (if exist) SOA they get destroyed very fast! I am using a EUPEC BSM 50 GB 170 DN2 IGBT (the Half of it) for at least 200W (SOA goes Higher even up to 1000V 400mA, 400W total Max). Just for Info :-) Send me an Email to Reply you with the Design Files. Cheers, Konstantin
Thanks for this great and practical video. For those of us who'd like to play along at home or try and replicate this very practical device, would you consider making the code and schematic available? Thank you.
Hello Stuart, Thankyou! The reason I didn't offered the Design Files already is that, I cannot give Support, bcs to replicate it you need : 1) Fully Working Arduino 1.8.19 IDE environment 2) Solid Programming Know How, and knowledge of the Arduino Environment 3) Good SMD Soldering experience (mostly 0603 and small Pitch SMD Parts) The Design Files consist of 3 Layouts , 2 Schematics, and the Code. If you are ok with the above and the non support possibility, send me a Email for further Info and Design Files.Cheers, Konstantin
Hello, there is quite more coding necessary to display all gnss meaningfully on the tft and a different u-blox chip too. The reason I did not do it, is 1) that if the GPS L1 signal is adequate, then L1 reception for Baidu and Galileo is OK too, the GPS satellites are the oldest. 2) the Design is a to be used as an L1 GPS Signal strength meter (with additional Infos). Glonass is on a diff freq but wouldn’t be a problem either. Further via usb the box can be connected to a pc running the ucenter software to show all too. Cheers, Konstantin
and here we are again, GPS is not a single signal but a constellation of satellites. So although nothing here is against to this video which is great, combining the Signal Strength of GPS does not make sense at all. Than here on satellite navigation we do not talk about dB, dBm or whatever, but we use the measure of C/No.
Hello Maurizio, please read the Video Description, there I write, that I use SNr for simplicity and that in real it is C/No in dB-Hz. And why the Sum does not make any Sense at all ? Its a relative Value that gives a rough Picture of the Overall Reception Quality, for that the Design is all about, nothing more and it is adequate to check the Overall reception at a specific Spot ! And Btw, even Linux GPSD calls it snr for simplicity!
Very cool video and great usage of cheaper components! Am a bit confused on one aspect though. What's do you use the total/sum of the SNR for? To me, that doesn't really seem like a DIRECTLY useful stat; do you use it to infer other stats? Or something else?
Hi Jared, Thankyou, the Sum snr of all the used satellites in used for the bargraph to have a more dynamic display and it shows the overall signal strength, only bcs eventually a couple of sats are doing great and all other’s in use are borderline, that does not mean i have the best reception/antenna position cheers , Konstantin
