How to test if your transistor is fried?

[iopplm]

you need C20 rate for running the frontside of the SG and a C20 when discharging the secondary battery. its all done with standard calculations, don't worry about the radiant component cannot be measured anyway.

Tom C

Noted Tom. Thanks

[D Rhodes]

Hi Dennis, thanks for the reply and advice! I'm still sourcing 6 more magnets to fit into the 17" wheel, making a total of 12 magnets on the wheel. My secondary battery started out at 11.4V after I drained it empty with 2 x 50W spotlights.

It was only a few seconds when I accidentally plugged out the secondary battery. Isn't the NE bulb suppose to be a safety feature if the secondary battery is plug out accidentally? Is there any way to check the transistor if it is burnt out, because it would whole lot of trouble to de-solder and re-solder a new one. Yes, I am using MJL21194 transistor too. If it were to short circuit, where would it be?

Yeah, I thought so. Making single bifilar coil. I suppose i was too ambitious. hahaha.

Would 7aH batteries be safer to run too?
Also, could you explain what is a deep cycle too?

Thank you!

Hi Mark, sorry I didn't reply,
Never draw your lead acid battery down below 10.50v..ever...preferably, never go below 12.20v volts. The idea is to start with 2 good batteries. You may have irrepairably damaged your secondary battery by draining it down to zero volts. If it still takes a charge on a conventional charger, charge it up fully..ie.15volts approx.(Again, when charging it on a conventional charger, do not use too big a charger for the size battery)
After it is charged. Switch off charger at wall plug before disconnecting leads.
Let the battery rest for at least 1 hour.
Then draw it down to 12.20volts with something equal to the C20 rate for the size battery you have.
Again, let it rest an hour once you have taken it down to 12.20 volts.
Then you are ready to charge it on the SSG.
Make sure your Primary is fully charged to start with.

Be careful buddy. Batteries are dangerous beasts.

[iopplm]

Hi Mark, sorry I didn't reply,
Never draw your lead acid battery down below 10.50v..ever...preferably, never go below 12.20v volts. The idea is to start with 2 good batteries. You may have irrepairably damaged your secondary battery by draining it down to zero volts. If it still takes a charge on a conventional charger, charge it up fully..ie.15volts approx.(Again, when charging it on a conventional charger, do not use too big a charger for the size battery)
After it is charged. Switch off charger at wall plug before disconnecting leads.
Let the battery rest for at least 1 hour.
Then draw it down to 12.20volts with something equal to the C20 rate for the size battery you have.
Again, let it rest an hour once you have taken it down to 12.20 volts.
Then you are ready to charge it on the SSG.
Make sure your Primary is fully charged to start with.

Be careful buddy. Batteries are dangerous beasts.

Thanks for the advice I'm not getting any good result . I suppose it is the primary battery that is not fully charged. Are the transistors to be hot or warm to the touch when the motor is running? Because I have only 4 transistors that is running warm, the rest of the 8 transistors are around room temperature when I touched it. Sorry that I have a lot of questions to ask. haha. O well shall do the test over again with a fully charged primary battery.

Cheers

attached is my circuit board for 1 spool (heatsink attached)

[Tom C]

Mark.....


not sure where to start. multi coil machines are hard to tune and are not easy to get decent charging from. you do not have spec coils, your frame is aluminum which is paramagnetic and will create eddy currents. most likely your magnets are not perfectly spaced and your coils are not perfectly at 120 degrees apart, that is the most likely cause of heat, one coil is fighting the other two. you have built a machine that will give you headaches for a long time I dont know how your coils will perform. the best thing you can do for now is build a completely wooden frame, use 1 coil and circuit, and experiment with that. also a pair of smaller 5 to 7 AH batteries will be good for that size, maybe....... dont know with the coils you have. there are too many variables both electronic and mechanical to be able to diagnose them all.

before going any farther or spending any more cash I would encourage you to do a LOT of reading on the subject, this forum especially there is a lot of great info from a bunch of great guys.
Tom C

[forelle]

Hi all,
I can only recommend everybody who is not realy familiar with this technology to do what Tom C and John Koorn says.Its not allways a answer which makes happy because it means you have to built something new,but we can be happy that there are people which helping others.Thank you that you bring my head from time to time in the right direction.
I have a short question which is not related to this thread:
Could a Ceramic or Metalized film capacitor be conditioned or has it be a Electrolytic.One Electrolyt cap which i have with a SG and cap dump there is the ESR gone down from 0.036 ohm to 0.006 after a month.
Oliver

[James Milner]

Mark,
It is apparent that coil alignment is highly critical. I have encountered the same. See the start of the this thread to see a similar report.
Followed by my diagnosis with a dual trace 100MHZ CRO.

http://www.energyscienceforum.com/showthread.php?t=1254&p=11604&viewfull=1#post11604

Tom is spot on and if you intend to build a multi-coil machine it will need to be to spec, with non magnetic support structure wood or plastic and exacting in tolerances for your coils and magnets.
If you go down this path expect to consume $$$$ in copper wire alone. Its not something that can be put together in a hurry but methodically planned and executed. That why JB states that it cost him tens of thousands to build his ten coiler.
I hope that doesn't put you off! It is just a statement of fact! Know your machine, how it works, how it can be tweaked and what gets the best results. Then PLAN meticulously for a multicoil. We all start with big ideas and then find out how precise we need to be and that precise tuning that makes the difference between less than OU and OU. Many of us here are still plugging away at it after some years. Sadly I can not yet report OU after 2 years. But my understanding is streets ahead of where it was even 6 months after starting. It can be frustrating hearing others say this, but in hindsight I can say they are kind words of wisdom. I tried to run fast but needed time to absorb and understand, then learn for myself, through personal experimentation.
I wish you the best in your progress.
James

Mark.....


not sure where to start. multi coil machines are hard to tune and are not easy to get decent charging from. you do not have spec coils, your frame is aluminum which is paramagnetic and will create eddy currents. most likely your magnets are not perfectly spaced and your coils are not perfectly at 120 degrees apart, that is the most likely cause of heat, one coil is fighting the other two. you have built a machine that will give you headaches for a long time I dont know how your coils will perform. the best thing you can do for now is build a completely wooden frame, use 1 coil and circuit, and experiment with that. also a pair of smaller 5 to 7 AH batteries will be good for that size, maybe....... dont know with the coils you have. there are too many variables both electronic and mechanical to be able to diagnose them all.

before going any farther or spending any more cash I would encourage you to do a LOT of reading on the subject, this forum especially there is a lot of great info from a bunch of great guys.
Tom C

[iopplm]

Mark.....


not sure where to start. multi coil machines are hard to tune and are not easy to get decent charging from. you do not have spec coils, your frame is aluminum which is paramagnetic and will create eddy currents. most likely your magnets are not perfectly spaced and your coils are not perfectly at 120 degrees apart, that is the most likely cause of heat, one coil is fighting the other two. you have built a machine that will give you headaches for a long time I dont know how your coils will perform. the best thing you can do for now is build a completely wooden frame, use 1 coil and circuit, and experiment with that. also a pair of smaller 5 to 7 AH batteries will be good for that size, maybe....... dont know with the coils you have. there are too many variables both electronic and mechanical to be able to diagnose them all.

before going any farther or spending any more cash I would encourage you to do a LOT of reading on the subject, this forum especially there is a lot of great info from a bunch of great guys.
Tom C

Ah! It makes so much sense that 1 coil is fighting with the other 2 coils. I shall change it to 90 degree instead or 120 degree, to at least align it better. I'm having 4coils/spool. Well... need to save up for another wooden frame build and of course, more research. haha. Meantime will try with smaller batteries and see how's the result. I've tried with 3.2aH, doesn't seem that bad.

Thank you for the advice

[iopplm]

Mark,
It is apparent that coil alignment is highly critical. I have encountered the same. See the start of the this thread to see a similar report.
Followed by my diagnosis with a dual trace 100MHZ CRO.

http://www.energyscienceforum.com/showthread.php?t=1254&p=11604&viewfull=1#post11604

Tom is spot on and if you intend to build a multi-coil machine it will need to be to spec, with non magnetic support structure wood or plastic and exacting in tolerances for your coils and magnets.
If you go down this path expect to consume $$$$ in copper wire alone. Its not something that can be put together in a hurry but methodically planned and executed. That why JB states that it cost him tens of thousands to build his ten coiler.
I hope that doesn't put you off! It is just a statement of fact! Know your machine, how it works, how it can be tweaked and what gets the best results. Then PLAN meticulously for a multicoil. We all start with big ideas and then find out how precise we need to be and that precise tuning that makes the difference between less than OU and OU. Many of us here are still plugging away at it after some years. Sadly I can not yet report OU after 2 years. But my understanding is streets ahead of where it was even 6 months after starting. It can be frustrating hearing others say this, but in hindsight I can say they are kind words of wisdom. I tried to run fast but needed time to absorb and understand, then learn for myself, through personal experimentation.
I wish you the best in your progress.
James

Yeah, im changing into 90 degrees instead. Will be tweaking this build before I go for another wooden model. Today I've tried to charge a dead 1.3aH lead-acid battery with a voltage of 2.33V. It fried my transistors! It was so hot i burnt my fingers. O well, shall stay away from dead battery after I've done sufficient research. And nope it doesn't put me off! I will get a working model! hahaha
Thanks James!