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Re: [TCML] Driving a flyback off of mains gate drive woes.



If you want to do this properly and isolate all your low voltage control
circuitry then you should look into using an optocoupler gate drive IC.  For
your application, i recommend something like this one
http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/FO/FOD3120.pdf  You can drive the diode from
a 5v logic source, you just need to calculate what value resistor you need
to source the proper amount of current to the photodiode input.  The gate
drive section needs to be powered by a separate transformer isolated
supply.  This insures that your microcontroller ground will stay separate
from your mosfet output stage ground.

On Sun, Oct 9, 2011 at 10:32 AM, Carl Noggle <cn@xxxxx> wrote:

> Hi, Scott,
>
> I forgot to mention that the capacitor from the upper input lead (to the
> center of the diodes) should be AC rated for high current, such as a
> motor-start or a motor-run cap.  These are available from Grainger, etc.
>  Polypropylene caps may work, too--you will have to check the ratings.
>
> ---Carl
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  Hi Carl,
>>     Interesting, so I don't need a transformer, that certainly makes
>> things easier since I already need 12V for the frequency generator.  There
>> is one thing though, If I use a rectification configuration like is used for
>> the PVM400 driver, to get 240V out of 120 using two filter caps, tie center
>> to ground, that floats the ground of the MOSFET source pin below ground by
>> 120V, so will a driver on a separate power supply grounded to a true ground
>> still work?  I really don't know how they work or hook up, does it reference
>> the MOSFET ground somehow so regardless of its voltage it is OK, or will it
>> burn out using that configuration?  Thanks.
>>
>> Scott Bogard
>>
>> On 10/8/2011 11:44 AM, Carl Noggle wrote:
>>
>>> Hi---
>>>
>>> Since you are using an N-channel MOSFET, the source is grounded and most
>>> drivers will work fine.  No need for a xfmr--that will slow the transition
>>> times and increase the dissipation in your device.  Just make sure the
>>> driver will handle your gate capacitance and will output enough voltage to
>>> turn the FET on completely.  Most drivers will do that.  You will need a
>>> separate low voltage supply for the driver.
>>>
>>> The advantage of a half- or full-bridge is that the FETs are
>>> self-protecting against voltage spikes by their body diodes.
>>>
>>> ---Carl
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>  Hi Mike,
>>>>    Hence my issue, for the moment I want a true flyback driver, not a
>>>> half bridge.  My issue is I can't find a MOSFET driver that will work Vcc on
>>>> that high of a voltage, and from what I know of MOSFETs to run a driver off
>>>> of a different voltage source, biases them on a different voltage, and they
>>>> are stuck on or off no matter the 5 volt swing.  From what I can see (did
>>>> some perusing at work) several solid state Tesla coils use a gate
>>>> transformer, so it is biased to whatever the MOSFET source voltage is, but I
>>>> don't know where to get one of these, or how to make one, or if it will work
>>>> on PWM over a range of duty cycles...  I would imagine it would be easy, and
>>>> I actually have an oscilloscope now to make sure it is working (finally) but
>>>> I'm hesitant to just throw stuff together, I don't want to blow out the
>>>> ARduino I'm using as a frequency generator, as it would take time and money
>>>> to replace (project is kind of on a personal deadline, I'd rather get the
>>>> correct part numbers.)  If it makes a difference I am settled for the moment
>>>> on IRFP250 MOSFETS, but plan on upgrading to IRF450s in the future.  So I
>>>> guess my question is how to make a gate drive transformer, and what MOSFET
>>>> driver would be suitable for driving said transformer (assuming it is done
>>>> that way) and how to wire up (external components) a MOSFET driver, since
>>>> I've never done that before.  Thanks again guys.
>>>>
>>>> Scott Bogard.
>>>>
>>>> On 10/7/2011 5:37 PM, Michael Twieg wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> That schematic isn't even for a flyback supply.  It's a half bridge
>>>>> driver,
>>>>> driven by a hi/low side bootstrapping driver.  For a simple flyback you
>>>>> will
>>>>> need some kind of simple low side gate drive IC.  The IXDD414 is one
>>>>> option,
>>>>> but it's overkill (also it's obsolete and very hard to find, unless you
>>>>> go
>>>>> for the newer versions).  The requirements of the gate driver will
>>>>> depend on
>>>>> the FET you're driving and the rise/fall times you want.
>>>>>
>>>>> -Mike
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 10:26 PM, Scott Bogard<sdbogard@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>>>  wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>  Hi Dave,
>>>>>>     Yeah I saw that schematic, it kind of gave me the idea, switchable
>>>>>> from
>>>>>> 120 to 240 volt operation, super high power capacity, but there are
>>>>>> limitations with that chip I'd like to circumvent.  Namely that it is
>>>>>> stuck
>>>>>> on 50% duty cycle (overall flyback duty cycle is independently
>>>>>> controlled by
>>>>>> a second oscillator at a low frequency) and that you have to use the
>>>>>> built
>>>>>> in frequency generator (I have a frequency generator, that I can
>>>>>> program
>>>>>> frequency routines into.)  Basically I need some kind of plane Jane
>>>>>> MOSFET
>>>>>> driver that I can mount to the high voltage rails like that chip, but
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> accepts an external input 5V logic, I don't think such a thing exists,
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> there must be some way to build one...  Can I make a BJT totem (I
>>>>>> think that
>>>>>> is what it is called) fed by like a 3k resistor or will that pop under
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> voltage?  Thanks in advance for your help guys, it is so much
>>>>>> appreciated by
>>>>>> this solid state newbie!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Scott Bogard.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 10/6/2011 8:20 PM, David Speck wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>  Scott,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Below is a link to a full schematic for a flyback driver off the
>>>>>>> Information Unlimited website.  No personal experience to know how
>>>>>>> well it
>>>>>>> works, but it seems to be a close match to the sort of thing you are
>>>>>>> looking
>>>>>>> for.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://www.amazing1.com/****download/PVM500BASICSCHEMATIC.****pdf<http://www.amazing1.com/**download/PVM500BASICSCHEMATIC.**pdf>
>>>>>>> <http://www.amazing1.com/**download/PVM500BASICSCHEMATIC.**pdf<http://www.amazing1.com/download/PVM500BASICSCHEMATIC.pdf>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Dave
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 10/6/2011 6:40 PM, Scott Bogard wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>  Greetings all,
>>>>>>>>     Back up to my old tricks again.  After procuring a schematic for
>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>> PVM 400 flyback driver, and noticing it runs off of mains voltages,
>>>>>>>> I am
>>>>>>>> attempting to create my own version, with programmable adjustable
>>>>>>>> duty cycle
>>>>>>>> and frequency.  What I don't seem to know how to do, is drive the
>>>>>>>> gates,
>>>>>>>> what I have is an ATmega chip producing a nice 5 volt square wave,
>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>> variable duty cycle and frequency (3-300 kHz) and some good
>>>>>>>> flybacks.
>>>>>>>>  Obviously I cannot just plug that 5 volt signal into a bunch of
>>>>>>>> MOSFET
>>>>>>>> gates, it would likely not have the guts to hold them open, even if
>>>>>>>> it was
>>>>>>>> the correct ground, which it is not.  So basically what hardware is
>>>>>>>> needed,
>>>>>>>> a gate drive transformer?  MOSFET driver?  Could somebody please
>>>>>>>> point me to
>>>>>>>> some straightforward literature about biasing MOSFETS, and possibly
>>>>>>>> provide
>>>>>>>> part numbers, not just reference "generic BJT."  I know it must be
>>>>>>>> possible,
>>>>>>>> people have run solid state TCs off of MOSFETs for a long time, so
>>>>>>>> what am I
>>>>>>>> missing...  Thanks in advance, I'm looking specifically to run it
>>>>>>>> off of
>>>>>>>> about 320V DC (+-160V) low side drive (not half or full bridge) if
>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> makes a difference.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Scott Bogard.
>>>>>>>>
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