Could someone help me understand the solid state tesla coil?

Question

I need to know about the circuits. I know how the basic SGTC works, and I know what the Circuits purpose is, I just need to know what roles the transistors, capacitors, resistors, diodes, MOSFETs, and all that junk play, and how they work together. Im just wanting to know how the circuits work because im building one, and it would be much easier to make if i understood how it worked.

Answer 1

Normally you would hook up a neon sign transformer to the input of the TC.  This gives you 2 things you need:

1. a source of ALTERNATING current

2. at a high enough voltage to use in the TC.

The solid state portion (and the ignition coil or flyback transformer you use) has to do the same thing.

1. oscillate to form alternating current

2. provide a high enough voltage for the TC.

Usually one would use an oscillator integrated circuit (555) to start things off, but you can just as easily build an sqaure-wave oscillator using two transistors, two capacitors, and some resistors.  The resistors 'bias' the transistors, making sure they are operating at the correct voltages and currents.

The oscillator output is fed to a MOSFET.  That transistor acts as a switch to for the current into the primary of the ignition coil (or flyback transformer).  In order to generate high voltage out of the coil, you have to interrupt the current on a regular basis (like 500 times per second).  The oscillator causes the MOSFET to turn on and off at the frequency it is set to.  The current through the MOSFET is in series with the primary of the ignition coil, and by action of the transformer a high voltage is produced at the output.

This high voltage is fed into the TC.

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