ANSWERS : Technology

Im making a coil gun for a final project and I am wondering what kind of switch to use to fire the gun. I cant find a powerful enough switch, the highest rating ive found is 480v but they just burn out. I'm using a knife switch know but it robs a lot of the potential power and the gun doesn't shoot as far. I am using 15 300v 100uf capacitors in parallel

Comments

[Kiteman]

Why not make your own switch?

Squeeze to contact two thick pieces of metal, you could wrap it in a layer of rubber (say, bicycle inner tube), and build it into the grip of the gun (squeeze the grip to fire the gun).

[Jack A Lopez]

I think I have seen this done by way of a modified rat trap. By "seen" I mean I saw it on Youtube, here, at  t=14s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwbpLcPTmEo

[iceng]

Here is a switch that can handle Very high Currents and as much
voltage as a mylar thickness determines.

The radio or light beam causes the mosfet to red heat a failure
in the insulating between the 1" thick iron plates and a Bang later
you have a discharged capacitor bank and a hot launching coil.

A

[steveastrouk]

You're looking at the wrong rating. You need extremely high current handling as WELL as a high voltage isolation, assuming you HAVE a high voltage in your cap banks.

The BEST thing would probably be a really big Thyristor.

[iceng]

+1

That is an SCR silicone controlled rectifier