[Amps] caps across rectifier diodes

[Steve Katz]

I sure agree with that.  I use high quality avalanche rectifiers and never use capacitors across them.

We built the HV rectifier for the targeting RADAR systems for the Patriot and Patriot II missiles for many years and the silly Army spec included capacitors across the rectifiers.  They served no purpose whatever except to add cost and reduce reliability, so we called the assembly a "rectifier compensated capacitor stack."  In the field, the only things that ever failed, out of more than 30,000 assemblies shipped, were the capacitors themselves.  The MTBF of the rectifiers was essentially infinity, but the assembly MTBF was much smaller due to the capacitors.

Silly stuff.

WB2WIK/6



-----Original Message-----
From: amps-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces at contesting.com]On
Behalf Of Carl
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 7:33 AM
To: Doug Renwick; amps at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] caps across rectifier diodes


And how does RF get into the diodes in a properly designed amp?

IMO, its just more junk science from the old days of AMPS.

Carl
KM1H


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Renwick" <ve5ra at sasktel.net>
To: "'Ian White GM3SEK'" <gm3sek at ifwtech.co.uk>; <amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Amps] caps across rectifier diodes


> Sorry? ... on the contrary.
> I believe the answer from the archives is "capacitors prevent RF from
> being rectified in the diodes, and generating harmonics."
>
> Doug
>
> The train doesn't stop here anymore.
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> Doug Renwick wrote:
>>If a 1N5408 diode is considered a modern diode, then why does 
>>Ameritron
>>go to the added expense of adding .01M 1KV caps across each diode?
>>
> Oh, you're going to be sorry you asked this...
>
> Go to the Amps Archives at <http://tinyurl.com/c5knt9>
> and then keep clicking and reading "next in thread".
>
> We beat it to death but the issues and answers are all there.
>
> Then just for laughs, one Amps member ended the topic with a bang:
> <http://tinyurl.com/ap87rl>
>
> 73 from Ian GM3SEK
> http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Amps at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps 

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