I bought 100 of some 400V diodes for $10 to experiment with audio applications, but it turns out the forward voltage is way too high. Should I buy 100 of 400V 1µF electrolytic caps and make a Cockroft Walton generator? Will this work with 240VAC mains?
>>1006319
>Should I buy 100 of 400V 1µF electrolytic caps and make a Cockroft Walton generator?
Sure, why not?
Will this work with 240VAC mains?
As a guy who has made several Cockroft Walton multipliers I can tell you it will work, however those multipliers tend to fail quite often, specially if the diodes cant withstand high peak currents caused by the capacitor discharges, I usually tend to go towards higher frequencies and lower capacitance to avoid that.
>>1006337
I forgot to mention, there's a point when adding more caps doesn't increases the voltage anymore. Capacitors are like walls with membranes, you can shout at one side of the membrane and be heard at the other, but when you start adding more and more the energy is lost between the membranes.
100 capacitors is probably an excessive amount, I wouldn't use more than 50.
Here's a guy that made it with 100 capacitors anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flZ7e5ffpvQ
>>1006348
I'd make a full wave multiplier, but I don't know what sort of driver to use. Will this run on DC?
>>1006319
You should just go for maximum voltage from a safe wall adapter AC supply.
stepping up 230v-400v isn't really that hard or fun.
You aren't limited by 400v ratings on your diodes. You can parallel them to get a higher forward voltage, it seems you have more diodes than you'll have stages.
To get a nice high voltage supply, you will probably have to put a good chunk of cash into some nice capacitors. The capacitance matters, you;'ll be able to buy ceramic caps for really cheep rated for 1kv+, but they probably won't have the capacitance you need.
>>1006594
Nah nah nah m8, its potential voltage. I can step up 400V each stage, because there is 1 diode/cap between each stage. I'm wondering if each stage will step up higher than 400V a time. I read something about it being about peak to peak max voltage, so 240->707V, which is greater than 400.
