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Re: [TowerTalk] VSWR Heating in Chokes and Baluns

To: Ron WV4P <wv4ptn@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] VSWR Heating in Chokes and Baluns
From: David Gilbert <ab7echo@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2020 14:52:55 -0700
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>

I've done a BUNCH of Google searching using (among others) the search phrases "dielectric properties of ferrites", "heating effects in ferrites", "VSWR failures of baluns", etc and so far not found a clear discussion of the topic.  That first search phrase alone generated 1,230,000 hits and while I obviously didn't check them all I did check a LOT of them.

I remember, though, previous discussions here on TowerTalk where more knowledgeable people than either you or I pointed out that damaging core heating in a typical ferrite balun or common mode choke is far more likely to be the result of dielectric losses due to high VSWR than it is due to eddy current losses due to high current in the winding.  I just hoped that one of those people would know of a technical link that more rigorously describes the condition.

What I do know is that ferrites are basically an iron-based ceramic with other materials (usually other metals) included as dopants to get various desired properties, such as mu or best frequency range. Being a ceramic, ferrites are basically insulators with both a dielectric constant and a loss tangent that results in current flow (and therefore loss and heating) under RF voltage (E-field) excitation.  That E-field could logically be the result of a high VSWR ... just like the folks who have stated same in the past.

As I remember, you were asking for others to do some studies that you could have done yourself.  I'm merely asking for a link if anybody knows of one.

Dave   AB7E



On 9/3/2020 11:54 AM, Ron WV4P wrote:
*Dave,
*
*Is that not something you should do yourself ? I recall the advice you gave me...
*
*
*
/"Neither is expecting/
/someone else to do all the work give you all the answers.

Dave AB7E"/

*Perhaps this is some testing you should do on your own, or at least the Google search to find other people's work ? *
*
*
*Thanks again for  your help when I had questions on Baluns.. *
*
*
*Ron, WV4P*

On Thu, Sep 3, 2020, 1:14 PM David Gilbert <ab7echo@gmail.com <mailto:ab7echo@gmail.com>> wrote:


    Can anyone point me to a technical reference that discusses
    dielectric
    heating (not magnetic flux related) due to high VSWR in the
    ferrite core
    of a balun or common mode choke?

    Thanks much,
    Dave   Ab7E


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