Redboy's fuse-popping machine

[electroking]

You do have to admire the ingenuity of some of the builders around here, that's probably one of the nicest fuse poppers out there!

I always wondered what the design process was on semiconductor devices that had to be bolted to a metal surface to dissipate heat, but would blow up (or blow stuff up) if allowed to actually touch that same metal.

This statement is hard to follow. Coupling the semiconductor chip to the
metal case is a good way to remove heat, putting the insulator inside
the case would just mean the dissipation would have to be lowered.

 

[ejfud]

I don't see any triodes in that thing Nate!

Looks real nice. The level of professionalism in your builds always amazes me. Great work.

Is it going to have enough power to get the car going 60 mph?

 

[WhiteSE]

Stop fusing it, and run it direct to current!

 

[Redboy]

Stop fusing it, and run it direct to current!

Hide behind the couch and let 'er rip, eh Jack? Why am I not surprised?

 

[mhardy6647]

Well, there's that!

Huh. Turns out you have to insulate a TO-220 type diode from your chassis with a special insulating kit, or you're just dumping electrons into the ground.

Whoddathunkit?

... and there are a whole bunch of electrons in the continental power grid. Trust me on this.

oh, and a DVM can be your friend. Get to know one, real soon. ;-)

 

[Redboy]

... and there are a whole bunch of electrons in the continental power grid. Trust me on this.

oh, and a DVM can be your friend. Get to know one, real soon. ;-)

Oh, I've got a cheap DVM... does that count?

With everything wired up already, just about everything shows continuity to ground... heh.

 

[mhardy6647]

Oh, I've got a cheap DVM... does that count?

Probably best that it's a cheap one - what with all those fuses blowin' and electrons rushin' to ground 'n' stuff...

With everything wired up already, just about everything shows continuity to ground... heh.

Heck, you coulda done that with far fewer parts...

 

[Jeffery]

Coupling the semiconductor chip to the
metal case is a good way to remove heat, putting the insulator inside
the case would just mean the dissipation would have to be lowered.

Coupling the semiconductor chip to the metal case is indeed a good way to remove heat. It just seems like there could be a way to mechanically couple the chip efficiently to the case without electrically coupling the chip to the case. Computer CPU chips can dissipate quite a bit of heat without any electrical connection to the heatsink, for instance.

 

[Sir.Byrd]

Isolate the diodes and be done with it!

 

[Tapehead47]

Nate, you're an electrical artist :thmbsp:

 

[doucanoe]

That may be the finest fuse popper I have ever seen, Nate. I hope you figure it out soon as I'm looking forward to hearing the final result(s) :thmbsp:

RC

 

[westend]

Jeebus, Nate, you come up with some...er..different stuff.

 

[Doc Zinger]

Hey, anything that has 4 hose clamp like thingies on it is a good start, to what I don't know however.

 

[ictwoody]

cuz they're badass...

I use this excuse for justifying stuff all the time!

- Woody

 

[thefragger]

I've got some nice MIL spec Bergquist SIL-pad insulators and plastic sleeves if you want a few, Nate.

 

[mhardy6647]

I don't think any of my hifi junk has hose clamps in it... now I understand.

 

[Redboy]

Jeebus, Nate, you come up with some...er..different stuff.

You'll like this one, Lance. If anything, it's... differenter than usual.

Hey, anything that has 4 hose clamp like thingies on it is a good start, to what I don't know however.

I don't think any of my hifi junk has hose clamps in it... now I understand.

Yep. It's all hose clamps these days. :yes:

I've got some nice MIL spec Bergquist SIL-pad insulators and plastic sleeves if you want a few, Nate.

Hey Phillip, I sure appreciate that offer! I placed an order yesterday for some mica spacer kits, and will be receiving them today, I think. I'd like to get this thing finished over the weekend.

 

[Dave C]

I hope you ordered more fuses for the weekend.

 

[ashok]

Is that a selector switch you have there Nate? Looks like its inputs are connected to the secondaries of the transformers, and the output from the selector switch seems to go to the rectifiers.

Nice work - looking forward to seeing the final product.

Also, may I ask about the source for the chassis? Par-metal? I think I have seen similar chassis on ebay.

 

[audiozaz]

I guess the diodes really only need a good holdin' down as opposed to a good heatsinking in this case, so thermal paste might be optional. Good looking build!

az