I have salvaged some parts from an old laser printer and made a voltage multiplier circuit following the circuit diagram below as best as I can. The problems I'm encountering are that it keeps blowing the IRFZ44 mosfets. I have switched to IRFZ46 and that works but I'm not sure why.
The gate voltage seems to be the problem with a Vmax of 4V and Vmin of -52V. The transformers are taken from the multiplier circuit that was on the board in the printer. In fact I just cut that part of the board out since it had slots cut under transformer, diodes, and capacitors.
The goal is to make a portable battery powered Bee zapper. Right now the current consumption is too high (.5 amp) to have it last as a portable application.
Questions are:
1. Can any one tell me what I'm doing something wrong that is causing the mosfet failure? I would like to use the IRFZ44 since I have a pile of them.
2. Is there a way to limit the current without sacrificing the punch of the output. FYI - the .5 amp draw is with the added 1 ohm resistor at the source. Otherwise the circuit consumes .8 amps.
I have attached the circuit that I'm following, the scope readings of the gate and drain of the IRFZ46 mosfet, and a Falstad diagram of the circuit as I have constructed it.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks - Jerry