Simple Induction Heater
The Induction heater circuit im using in this video is about as simple as it gets. In this article im going to go over the construction, and some design considerations if you want to build your own. But first, a little background on the circuit.
This circuit is based off the ubiquitous mazilli flyback driver, also known as a ZVS driver (Zero Voltage Switching). It appears Marko on the 4HV forums was the first to modify the design with the aim of creating an induction heater. The great thing about this design is that it automatically starts oscillating and tuning itself for maximum efficiency. it was a huge success and now literally every DIY induction board sold on amazon and ebay are this exact same circuit. The drawback is you have no power control, or frequency control.
Here is a list of parts I used to make my induction heater.
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High power board (1800-3000W) or Lower power board (up to 1500w)
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Power supply, The one I use is a HP 226519-001, there are a few on ebay. In order to get it to work you need to short out some pins on the back. Or you can just buy any suitable power-supply on amazon. I recommend something that can output at least 36-48 volts, and at least 20 amps.
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You also need to cool the coil. The simplest way would just be to run water through it from the sink, or you can use a 5 gallon bucket and a pond pump or something. I used this one from amazon. I also made a radiator and fan system form parts on amazon.
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Finally, I recommend using a device to monitor the power you are consuming, This is what I used.
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Here is a few tips and tricks and stuff Ive learned or read at other places regarding this type of induction heater.
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The coil is okay to touch. You can get a mild shock if you touch both ends of the coil at the same time, but it is not dangerous. If you touch it with metal , you will be fine and feel no shocks. If you short out the coil by touching it to metal, it may damage the board, but the power supply will probably detect something is wrong and turn off before you damage anything.
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I would recommend buying extra irfp260n MOSFETs on ebay, if something breaks 99% of the time its the MOSFET.
There are tons of other more advanced induction heater designs, here are some helpful links for this type of heater, and other more advanced versions.
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Simple designs
http://kaizerpowerelectronics.dk/general-electronics/royer-induction-heater/
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Advanced designs
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​http://www.neon-john.com/Induction/Index.htm
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https://github.com/ThingEngineer/ReactorForge/wiki
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This is a nice one, made by the same guy that made the OneTesla. https://www.instructables.com/id/30-kVA-Induction-Heater/#discuss
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http://uzzors2k.4hv.org/index.php?page=pllinductionheater1
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