Yes, my parents do understand that I am working with something that could possibly kill me.
Bwahahahahhahaha
Oh that was good. Honestly, we do hear some porkies from time to time, but that's got to take the cake.
I'm half considering suggesting you send your parent's phone number to 55p and let him call them up to make sure.
I know the risks and am acting accordingly. I have been looking into this for quite some time (since September 09) and know enough about this project to not get myself killed.
oh, stop it. You're killing me.
For the most part, your posts indicate exactly the opposite. That is, you lack the most basic understanding of electricity (let's not even talk electronics yet)
I know that the instructable's version is too simple to work well.
Why?
Soon after researching into it I found that everyone had much higher marks about scopeboy's circuit. I am using a 12 V 1.3AH battery, that I bought from the local electronics store.
Search does not equal research. I know it's just 2 letters, but the meaning of the word is quite different.
Right now all that I have working is a very simple circuit. Im thinking that the reason I blew up my transformer is that I drove too much voltage through it. I am currently buying parts off of digikey, since I think I blew my last mosfets. Do any of you know a better transistor than a irf540 mosfet.
And here is one very basic concept. I urge you to consider again what may have caused the transformer to fail.
Perhaps you should try to find specs for the transformer, or at least some parameters of operation as defined by a well designed circuit (like the original monitor you pulled it from).
55pilot, please, I came here looking for help, not an argument. I admit that I do not know exactly what I am doing, but I know enough to get by if I have to. If anything, Im asking you to help me keep from killing myself. Have you ever build, tested, or designed anything similar to this circuit? Please, if you have any information on the topic let me know. Otherwise please stop lecturing me.
55p may not be posting the most welcoming and friendly messages, but his posts will serve to warn other people from doing the same thing that you're doing. I think I'll leave them if just for that.
If by knowing enough to get by you mean that you know enough to copy a circuit from the internet without any understanding, then I guess you do.
I have a slightly more charitable view of instructables than does 55p. I have found some really useful ideas from there, although there is a *huge* amount of dross. With sufficient knowledge you can pick one from the other, but you are a fine example of someone who does not yet possess either that knowledge or the understanding of the finality of death (which in many cases is a possible -- and universally unwanted -- outcome) to be able to do that. In your case you have been fortunate that you have managed to kill components before they kill you.
As an example of your foolishness, you start with a circuit that is relatively safe, being powered from a 9V battery, and convert it to use a 40V bench power supply. Then (and believe me this is worse) you start using a lead acid battery.
One of the really cute examples you gave us was of a person drawing arcs from a flyback transformer. Several things were really funny.
1) Suction cap
2) Description of the switch (and the switch chosen)
3) The soldering skills
4) The description of the transistor
5) The description of the primary, er um, secondary, er um coil
But what was really amusing was the apparent use of both hands to draw the arcs. Now when I say amusing here, this is amusing in a totally different (and far darker) sense.
If you think that video gives useful advice on ANYTHING then you are severely deluded. Its only saving grace is that it probably won't kill you.
I would (probably) be highly amused to hear the precautions you're taking to prevent electric shock from high voltages. Would you like to detail them?
If you can impress on me that you understand what safety precautions to take, and I believe that you are actually observing them, then I won't close this thread. Otherwise it really looks like it's getting really close to the time to close it.