RE: Potting Diode Strings

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Pete Komen by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pkomen-at-zianet-dot-com>

Alex,

I don't see how you figure this.  If the load was a short circuit, maybe so,
but assuming peak voltage across the load, each string will be subject to
the peak voltage in reverse (less the diode drop in one string).  If you
were right, there would be no need for high PIV diodes.  The nice thing
about a full-wave bridge is that each diode (or string) sees only the peak
voltage of the supply.  A half-wave rectifier can see twice the peak supply
voltage.

Cheers,

Pete Komen

Original poster: "Alexander Rice by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<alex-at-rices.myip-dot-org>

Hi All,
        This whole discussion on potting a few
diodes seems a little long, but FWIW here are
my comments - firstly, if you were to use a
full wave rectifier the greatest PIV seen by
the diodes would be about 20v at the most
(number of diodes * foward voltage drop)
which kills the risk of flashover, for the
time and money and effort you may as well go
for full wave and get more power in the
process. <snip>
alex