NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #20/NN_1992_20.iso/spool/sci/electron/15596

Text File | 1992-09-13 | 1.7 KB | 39 lines

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From: [e-mail] (Luke Paul Nosek)
Subject: Re: A much better power inverter design
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Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 04:17:40 GMT
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Actually, you may be able to improve on an inverter using a relay:

I was reading a book called Solid State Power Design or something like that -
it was a TAB or SAMS or one of those sieries... Anyway, the author pointed out
a combination of solid state and electro-mechanical that could improve on
the charactaristics of both:

Put the solid state components in parrallel with the relay. They will close
the circuit before the relay has a chance to move, which will reduce arcing
and pitting of the contacts when it does finally close. After the relay has
closed, almost all of the current will be taken up by it, meaning that your
solid state components will not need a heat sink because they are only "on"
while the contacts are moving. The only slight complication is that you need
a delay when the contacts open up again to prevent arcing there.

I've only heard one person mention this so far, and that was the author
himself.

Now, this idea might not be perfect for an inverter, because the relay
will still experience mechanical stresses from slamming up and down
constantly, but it might have some uses in a few applications demanding
high current from a small box with a short operating life. I dunno.

C
constantly
contacts, while
Th