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Author Topic: ST-3/5 regulator plans available  (Read 34549 times)

12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #45 on: November 25, 2008, 01:48:55 AM »
OK, I have an answer, replace Q1 with FGPF90N30.  Thank you Bruce.

I am interested in anyone's results with this regulator. 

My st-5 has a factory regulator on it, but it does'nt seem to do much and runs out of effect at about 115 volts.  I am going to try some capacitors on the output of the Z winding, as mentioned earlier, and see if that brings the voltage up to where the regulator has something to regulate.

MacGyver

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #46 on: November 26, 2008, 02:29:07 AM »
12 Gauge,

Yeah, the FGPF90N30 seems a reasonable choice for the IGBT.

I was going to build Bruce's regulator... but decided to go with something of my own design.
I don't see anything wrong with Bruces schematic, it looks great, but I'd like to experiment in a little different direction with mine...

Absolutely, a little capacitance on the output of the Z-winding can bring the output up by several volts. Maybe your existing regulator would be able to cope if the output was a little higher?
Steve

JKson (PS) 6/1 'roid & ST 7.5

12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #47 on: February 03, 2010, 01:25:43 AM »
It's taken awhile but I've finally built this regulator.  Mounted it in a nice steel box that was in the junk pile.  On the bench I connected a 100 watt bulb to the field leads and adjusted the trimmer pot so the bulb just glowed.  So far so good.  I hope to install it on the st-5 next and test it for real.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lWA5c5TI0cBzLuJGASKFWg?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-YqvmH1oi44QE&feat=directlink

RH

somian

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #48 on: February 05, 2010, 10:51:43 AM »
Are the links to the schematics still valid, because I cannot get to them at the moment?

Ian

12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #49 on: February 06, 2010, 01:07:44 AM »
somian,
It's still available in the Lister CS power forum.  Look under STC-10 AVR and capacitors.

So, I hooked up the regulator and started the engine.  Immediately the fuse blew and Q1 became a short.  :(  Replaced Q1 and turned R2 all the way down for lowest voltage, started the engine and slowly turned R2 up until I had 118 volts on the kil-o-watt.  Noted that the lights had noticeably less flicker.  :)  However, after stopping the engine and on the next start-up, the fuse and Q1 again became history.  :(
So I'm open to suggestions.  The only thing I can think of is to add some resistance in series with the field.  I'm thinking light bulbs at first so I can easily vary the resistance by changing the bulb.
RH

BruceM

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #50 on: February 06, 2010, 07:11:53 PM »
The PCB version works fine, so I suspect some glitching from your layout.

A copper tape ground plane is what I use for perf board work. Point to point ground wiring is not so well suited to power circuits with fast switching like mosfets and IGBT transistors.

The resistor at the gate of the mosfet should be physically right next to the Mosfet.  This is perhaps the most important issue.  Reducing the value of the gate resistor might also be helpful. 

If you check your messages on this forum you'll see my email address- please contact me directly as I don't check on this forum very often.  I'll be glad to help you with your AVR.

I'm going to go study the schematic and see what might be the problem with the new IGBTreplacement, plus a perfboard layout. 

Best Wishes,
Bruce



« Last Edit: February 06, 2010, 07:35:08 PM by BruceM »

12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #51 on: March 26, 2010, 05:44:05 AM »
For an update I'm just pasting in my posts from the Lister CS Power forum.
                                                                             
As with others, I have desired to reduce flicker with my st-5/6-1, and I never could get more than about 113 volts at full load.  So I built the McCreary simple regulator discussed here and am posting the results with the hope someone may find it usefull.  I've consulted with Bruce McCreary several times in the course of this project and he has been a great help with the success of it. 

I used a project board from Radio Shack instead of the ExpressPCB board.
The pass transister Q1 used is IRGB14C40LPBF as the specified one is unavailable.  I mounted it to a small heat sink I had on hand and it operates warm to the touch.  I would use a bigger heat sink next time but I'm not worried about this one.  The regulator is mounted in a box off the generator.
 
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5-9KPEVOVPmdTIUr9N-ffA?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-YqvmH1oi44QE&feat=directlink

When first hooked up I found my inverter/charger would not accept the power and investigation with an oscilloscope showed some voltage spikes on the waveform.  A 50 uf capacitor across the line fixed that problem. 

The end result is less flicker than before, stiffer voltage regulation, and the ability to actually adjust my voltage up to 120 volts.  The flicker is only noticable with incandecent bulbs and just slightly in a mercury yard light.  Compact flourecents have none.

IMO this is a worthwhile project and for whatever reason can easily be reversed as the Z winding wires are just disconnected and taped off.

73, RH

12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #52 on: March 26, 2010, 05:46:39 AM »
Here's some oscope pictures of my power produced with the regulator.  The first 2 are without any capacitor on line.  In the reduced view you can see the spikes on each peak.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cBKA2jvOjRp_NXBwLLqA8A?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG40tbTq4KcAw&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8c1e8kH0lCQh0jXZ0f1mFQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG40tbTq4KcAw&feat=directlink

The next 2 are with the 50 uf capacitor on line.  The inverter/charger would accept this.  I plan to do more fine tuning, if possible, later.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y_CW2_uBSHXXEaJEnWBNxA?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG40tbTq4KcAw&feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FVxDraw8p3lNHD9ZazRMcw?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG40tbTq4KcAw&feat=directlink

Also, since the oscope is a new toy for me, I had to look at some other things.  Here is what my inverter power looks like.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MnmY7M9MLA9OlbOKL0ymnw?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG40tbTq4KcAw&feat=directlink

I've learned a lot and been having great fun doing it.  Thanks again to all who contributed.

73, RH


mike90045

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #53 on: March 26, 2010, 03:42:09 PM »
somian,
It's still available in the Lister CS power forum.  Look under STC-10 AVR and capacitors.

RH

I'm going to try to find the links for the 240V version, and make a PCB - at work, the nanny ware filter won't let me see any thing that might have a photo rated past PG ! Something like an AVR would be just scandalous. 
 Anyone have a link to "Lister CS power forum" ? 
I do a fair amount of PCB's at work, and here is a link to one I did for a 48-12V DC-DC project at home:
My $100, 120 watt 48-12V DC-DC, 94% efficient converter, used to down-convert a 48V solar battery bank, to power 12V LED drivers for a Burning Man project.  http://www.naturalstudies.org/Photo_galleries/LED_driver/


12 gauge

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #54 on: March 28, 2010, 04:39:46 AM »
mike90045,

Try this.

http://www.microcogen.info/

RH

mike90045

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Re: ST-3/5 regulator plans available
« Reply #55 on: March 29, 2010, 07:25:21 PM »
http://www.microcogen.info

I found this thread:  microcogen.info/index.php?topic=490.0   modified st controller   
 but no usable links in it

Anyway, the origanator emailed them to me, and I'll poke around in them a bit

Mike

PS
I did find the CS Colour Plates and the ST schematic pdf's though. (white papers)
I hope it's ok to post a partial link, i hope i'm not violating a law of nature to include a link to
another usefull resource.