Zenductor

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#383
Seems like the Italian choke has a slightly higher Dcr, 1R instead of 0,79R. Should be OK I guess.
I haven't tested it myself but I bought a set of chokes and transformers from Piemme for a tube project a few months ago and they seem to be a good value for the money.
 
#392
Since the Zenductor circuit is so simple, why not lay out your own fully customized PCB which is a perfect match to your large non-Triad inductor? You can now put the inductor's PCB mounting holes in exactly the right positions (so your PCB fits your transformer like a glove). Then you can put the connection points for the coil winding in exactly the right places to match your transformer. Or you can choose to offset them by a distance of your choosing, if you think that will make the soldering easier. Maybe it will make the physical appearance of your Zenductor more beautiful too (?). The PCBs are a tiny fraction of the cost of the two inductors, so optimize them mechanically & electrically, and make them beautiful too.
 
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#394
Then you can hardwire your non-Triad inductor and get exactly the mechanical solid anchoring you want. You can also get exactly the inductor-to-circuit-board curvilinear wiring path you want. And you can get exactly the X-by-Y aspect ratio on your PCB, that you want. Please proceed and bravely optimize your circuit boards according to YOUR desires.
 
#395
Fuling said:
Custom made pcbs would be sweet, but I have no experience in designing my own boards. Personally, I usually just hardwire my circuits unless they are too complex, and complexity shouldn't be an issue here 😀
Click to expand...
In support of Mark's suggestion you could try KiCAD. It's free. Is it 'easy' to learn? 'No'. Is it worth the effort? 'Yes' There's a huge number of incredible YouTube tutorials out there that will get you up a running quickly. You might surprise yourself?

Regards,
Dan 😉
 
#397
Something like the Zenductor is simple enough that a PCB could be made the old fashioned way – drawing the traces by hand. Hand drawn traces were the industry standard before Computer Aided Design became readily available. A single sided circuit could be drawn fairly easily with a Sharpie or another type of dense black ink marker onto a single sided copper clad board. Then the rest of the copper is etched away, leaving just the parts under the ink.
The end result would have all the advantages that Mark J mentions, a circuit layout that is specific to the components you have selected plus any other considerations you want to build. Yes there are chemicals involved, but relatively benign to use with some care. I have used Ferric Chloride to make several small boards with satisfying results. I like to finish by coating the traces with liquid tin after cleaning off the ink.
 
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#398
As this Google search suggests, you can convert hand-drawn PCB traces into Gerber CAD files on your computer. Then they are indistinguishable from all other Gerber files, and you can upload your Gerbers to the website of a PCB fab like Elecrow or Shenzen2U or JLCPCB or PCBway or OSH Park. Now the professionals at the fab make your boards, and you don't have to worry about drilling, purchasing and using etching chemicals, waste disposal, etc. The fab does everything and ships finished boards straight to your home.
 
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