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Registered Member #3943
Joined: Sun Jun 12 2011, 05:24PM
Location: The Shire, UK
Posts: 552
Hi, I just came up with this in mspaint. I am trying to think of a way to charge capacitors in parallel then switch them to series once charge has completed.
This is what I came up with;
Sorry it is not very clear but it consists of a single DPDT switch that changes how the capacitors are configured.
Does it look like it could work in theory? This is ignoring all switch current ratings, an "ideal" switch it would be.
From what I can tell it looks like it could work but I though I would get some options here.
Also I forgot to state in the image but the lead labeled "- of charger" would have a switch to isolate it from the charger too.
Registered Member #2099
Joined: Wed Apr 29 2009, 12:22AM
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 1716
a way to charge capacitors in parallel then switch them to series once charge has completed.
One well-studied way, if you plan on rapid discharge after the C's are connected in series, is called a Marx voltage multiplier.
For the voltage range of electrolytic caps, you could replace the spark gap switches with diacs, or SCR's or triacs with gate drive transformers. The charging power supply can remain connected to all capacitor stages. Just isolate it with resistors that are tolerably low resistance in the charging circuit and tolerably high resistance in the discharging circuit.
[edit] Your circuit with mechanical switches would certainly work, if you want to have the capacitors sit around for a while in the charged, series-connected state.
Another option is perhaps the simplest voltage doubler, if you have just two capacitors: connect them permanently in series, with the common node as "ground". Then with +x and -x volt chargers, you can charge the bank to 2x volts.
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Idea for a capacitor bank parallel charge and series discharge
