Reliable and Flexible Switching System

[Farmhand]

Good idea, Why not go to a modular design, as in we could have the control board and several switching boards that will accept the signal from the control board with different switching boards for different applications, voltages - frequencies - current levels ect.

eg. a switching board would hold, the caps/regulator, mosfet drivers or switch drivers of whatever kind and all associated protections for the switching and driver solution, isolation ect.

The control board could be either Arduino or picaxe or whatever then and the user can still use the different switching boards. The switching boards could simply have a connector with the signal and power jacks so that one board plugs into the other without any wires to keep the signal traces short. Plug and play kinda. Most of us can manage to make a PCB, or we could get them made in bulk if a few of us chip in some money.

Cheers

[EMJunkie]

Good idea, Why not go to a modular design, as in we could have the control board and several switching boards that will accept the signal from the control board with different switching boards for different applications, voltages - frequencies - current levels ect.

eg. a switching board would hold, the caps/regulator, mosfet drivers or switch drivers of whatever kind and all associated protections for the switching and driver solution, isolation ect.

The control board could be either Arduino or picaxe or whatever then and the user can still use the different switching boards. The switching boards could simply have a connector with the signal and power jacks so that one board plugs into the other without any wires to keep the signal traces short. Plug and play kinda. Most of us can manage to make a PCB, or we could get them made in bulk if a few of us chip in some money.

Cheers

Hey Farmhand! Long time since we spoke!

Yes I agree! It only makes sense that the design stays in a modular form! Also it is critical to keep the signal traces short like you have pointed out! Also just as critical to keep Low Power Logic Circuitry well away from the High Voltage/Current Switching Circuitry!

The Circuit I posted is a very good circuit! Maybe if we could have someone start there and work on the component update to some better high speed smaller components?

I don't think anyone is keen to draw up the files? I know there are a few Electronics Guru's out there! Maybe they just have not yet had the need to check this thread out?

All the Best

  Chris

[Farmhand]

Might be a good idea to have voltage and current sense provisions to feedback to inputs on the micro processor so that we can use them for more control of the circuit. Over voltage or current protections ect. can be written into the code then.


Cheers

[MarkE]

Hey MarkE,

Mine works without doing any Burn Outs! I do have issues beyond 7MHz however. Heating and so on. The 47uH Inductor does a pretty good job at keeping the RF out of the isolated 15v supply.

I guess this is why we need to think outside the box!

All the Best

  Chris

An IGBT with a 1us turn off time isn't going to do very well hard switching at 7MHz.

[EMJunkie]

An IGBT with a 1us turn off time isn't going to do very well hard switching at 7MHz.

Hi MarkE,

I agree! Choosing the best components for the job is essential!

I have used: 5N3003
Turn-On Delay Time: 60ns
Turn-Off Delay Time: 220ns

So far this is one of my favourite N Channel MOSFET's!

All the Best

  Chris