Inductor Saturation Tester

Link to repository

I have designed a number of inductors and transformers that should be highly linear, and it would be useful to validate that. Presumably the datasheets have all the information I need, but I also thought it would be a fun project. There are also cases where I have an unknown core/inductor I want to check the properties of.

Here are a bunch of useful links:

https://hackaday.com/2014/09/23/making-an-inductor-saturation-current-tester/

http://www.vk2zay.net/article/200

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/inductor-saturation-tester-alternative-route-to-dump-the-excess-energy/

Circuit Described

The circuit uses a large capacitor bank to ramp the current up in the inductor until the preset threshold is reached. In an inductor, V = L dI/dt. If L is linear, with a constant V, the rate of current increase will be linear. As it saturates, the inductance goes down, so the slope increases.