Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
Home
InvertersSinewave
TransformerlessPowerSupply
FreeEnergyCircuits
LEDCircuits
EmergencyLightCircuits
SolarCircuitProjects
555HobbyCircuits
RemoteControlCircuits
BatteryChargers
WaterlevelCircuits
Forum
AmplifierCircuits
TimerCircuits
SMPSDriverCircuits
Datasheets(BJT,Mosfet)
Contact
CellphoneCircuits
SubmitandEarn
Disclaimer
AboutMe
PrivacyPolicy
FollowbyEmail
Emailaddress...
Search
Submit
PleaseShare!
HomemadeCircuits
438likes
LikePage
Share
Bethefirstofyourfriendstolikethis
YouallareAwesome
Monday,January26,2015
Jointhissite
withGoogleFriendConnect
Members(771) More
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPower
Supplies
PostedbySwagatamMajumdar
Youmayhavestudiedcountlesstransformerlesspowersuppliesinthisblogandinthe
web,howevercalculatingthecrucialmainscapacitorinsuchcircuitshasalwaysremained
anissueforthemanyconstructors.
Alreadyamember?Signin
Beforewelearntheformulaforcalculatingandoptimizingthemainscapacitorina
transformerlesspowersupply,itwouldbeimportanttofirstsummarizeastandard
transformerlesspowersupplydesign.
Thefollowingdiagramshowsaclassictransformerlesspowersupplydesign:
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
1/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
Referringtothediagram,thevariouscomponentsinvolvedareassignedwiththefollowing
specificfunctions:
C1isthenonopolarhighvoltagecapacitorwhichisintroducedfordroppingthelethal
mainscurrenttothedesiredlimitsaspertheloadspecification.Thiscomponentthus
becomesextremelycrucialduetotheassignedmainscurrentlimitingfunction.
D1toD4areconfiguredasabridgerectifiernetworkforrectifyingthesteppeddownAC
fromC1,inordertomaketheoutputsuitabletoanyintendedDCload.
Z1ispositionedforstabilizingtheoutputtotherequiredsafevoltagelimits.
Labels
C2isinstalledtofilteroutanyrippleintheDCandtocreateaperfectlycleanDCforthe
connectedload.
3phase(12)
AlarmCircuits(30)
Appliances(6)
R2maybeoptionalbutisrecommendedfortacklingaswitchONsurgefrommains,
althoughpreferablythiscomponentmustbereplacedwithaNTCthermistor.
AudioProjects(19)
Automation(3)
Ballast(4)
BatteryCharger
(59)
BicycleProjects(6)
Bluetooth(3)
198
Buck/Boost(15)
CarElectronics
(41)
AVRBasicTutorial
AVRTutorial1
CellPhone
Projects(15)
Intheentiretransformerlessdesigndiscussedabove,C1istheonecrucialcomponent
whichmustbedimensionedcorrectlysothatthecurrentoutputfromitisoptimized
optimallyaspertheloadspecification.
Selectingahighvaluecapacitorforarelativelysmallerloadmayincreasetheriskof
excessivesurgecurrententeringtheloadanddamagingitsooner.
Aproperlycalculatedcapacitoronthecontraryensuresacontrolledsurgeinrushand
nominaldissipationmaintainingadequatesafetyfortheconnectedload.
Themagnitudeofcurrentthatmaybeoptimallypermissiblethroughatransformerless
powersupplyforaparticularloadmaybecalculatedbyusingOhm'slaw:
AVRTutorial2
Chaser/Flasher
(13)
ChristmasProjects
(8)
I=V/R
AVRTutorial3
AVRTutorial4
Datasheets(33)
whereI=current,V=Voltage,R=Resistance
AVRTutorial5
DetectorsSensors
(43)
AVRTutorial6
EmergencyLight
(14)
AVRTutorial7
FenceCharger(8)
FishAquarium(5)
ArduinoBasics
ArduinoBasics1
ArduinoBasics2
ArduinoBasics3
FreeEnergy
Devices(20)
HobbyCircuits
(37)
HowitWorks(2)
ArduinoBasics5
PICBasicTutorial
Inordertocrackthisweneedtoderiveamethodwhichwilltranslatethecapacitor'scurrent
limitingvalueintermsofOhmsorresistanceunit,sothattheOhm'slawformulacouldbe
solved.
Todothiswefirstfindoutthereactanceofthecapacitorwhichmaybeconsideredasthe
resistanceequivalentofaresistor.
IC4017(70)
IC4033(2)
ArduinoBasics4
Howeveraswecansee,intheaboveformulaRisanoddparametersincewearedealing
withacapacitorasthecurrentlimitingmember.
Theformulaforreactanceis:
IC4043(1)
IC4047(10)
IC4060(49)
IC555(16)
Xc=1/2(pi)fC
whereXc=reactance,
IC741(49)
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
2/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
IndicatorCircuits
(49)
pi=22/7
InductionHeater
(4)
f=frequency
PICTutorial3
PICTutorial4
InfraredProjects
(11)
C=capacitorvalueinFarads
PICTutorial5
InverterProjects
(79)
PICTutorial6
Laser(3)
TheresultobtainedfromtheaboveformulaisinOhmswhichcanbedirectlysubstitutedin
ourpreviouslymentionedOhm'slaw.
PICTutorial1
PICTutorial2
LEDDriver(72)
PICTutorial7
LM317(16)
LM338(9)
PICTutorial8
Let'ssolveanexampleforunderstandingtheimplementationoftheaboveformulas:
Let'sseehowmuchcurrenta1uFcapacitorcandelivertoaparticularload:
LM567(5)
PICTutorial9
Meters(21)
Wehavethefollowingdatainourhand:
PICTutorial10
Microcontrollers
(28)
PICTutorial11
pi=22/7=3.14
MotorCircuits(28)
Motorcycle
Projects(8)
f=50Hz(mainsACfrequency)
opamp(27)
andC=1uFor0.000001F
PIR(6)
PowerSupply(15)
PWM(79)
Solvingthereactanceequationusingtheabovedatagives:
Relay(9)
Xc=1/(2x3.14x50x0.000001)
Relay
Changeovers(13)
=3184ohmsapproximately
RemoteControls
(22)
SubstitutingthisequivalentresistancevalueinourOhm'slawformula,weget:
SeaEnergy(2)
smps(17)
SolarProjects(56)
SportProjects(6)
R=V/I
orI=V/R
Surge
Suppressors(13)
AssumingV=220V(sincethecapacitorisintendedtoworkwiththemainsvoltage.)
Temperature
Controller(7)
Weget:
Thermostat(9)
TimerProjects
(38)
TL494(1)
Transformerless
PowerSupply(18)
Transmitter
Circuits(17)
TriacControl(4)
Tubelight(15)
I=220/3184
=0.069ampsor69mAapproximately
Similarlyothercapacitorscanbecalculatedforknowingtheirmaximumcurrentdelivering
capacityorrating.
Theabovediscussioncomprehensivelyexplainshowacapacitorcurrentmaybe
calculatedinanyrelevantcircuit,particularlyintransformerlesscapacitivepowersupplies.
Tutorial(56)
TV(2)
UPS(8)
USB(9)
VoltageDoubler
(3)
VoltageStabilizers
(13)
WaterSensors
(35)
Windmill(1)
AboutMe
SwagatamMajumdar
Follow
2k
Iamanelectronichobbyist,
inventor,afreelanceelectronic
circuitdesigner,manufacturer.I
amalsoanavidpublisher,Ienjoyposting
electronicrelatedarticlesinmywebsite:
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/wherethe
interestedviewersgettheopportunitytoread
aboutmanyinnovativeelectroniccircuitideas,
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
3/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
exclusivelydesignedanddevelopedbyme.
Viewmycompleteprofile
MorepostsaboutTransformerlessPowerSupply
Google+Followers
SwagatamMajumdar
Addtocircles
ZeroCrossingControlled
SurgeFreeTransformerless
PowerSupply
2,053havemeincircles
Viewall
VoltageStabilized
TransformerlessPower
SupplyCircuit
12V,5Amp
TransformerlessBattery
ChargerCircuitSMPS
Based
atMonday,January26,2015
Labels:SurgeSuppressors,TransformerlessPowerSupply,Tutorial
Reactions:
good (0)
interesting (1)
cool (0)
BlogArchive
2011(110)
2012(297)
27comments:
2013(209)
2014(215)
Hz021 February2,2015at6:53PM
2015(114)
GREAT!..thankyouMrSwagatamMajumdar.:)
January(24)
ReverseForwardMotorTimerCircuitfor
Incubator...
Reply
Replies
HighPowerIndustrialMainsSurge
SuppressorExplo...
SwagatamMajumdar
February2,2015at8:27PM
youarewelcomeHz!
SimpleRGBLEDControllerCircuit
SimpleIndustrialDelayTimerCircuits
UsingHighWattLEDswithArduino
kostas March22,2015at12:58AM
ModelLocomotiveInfraredController
Circuit
Firstly i would like to thank you for your schematic it was really usefull and your
explanationisgreat!
Butiwouldliketomakeaquestionaboutthecurrent.Ididmakethecircuitandi
useda7805alsointheoutputandididsupplyanotherpicmicrocontrollercircuit
withvoltage.BUTimeasuredthecurrentbetwentheACpowerandtheC1andit
wasalwaysAC220mA(it'smaximumbecauseiuse3,3uFcapat250V)andwhen
imeasuretheDCcurrentafterthe7805itwasdrainingonlyDC47mA.
Can you explain me what happens ? Because if leave the device open for long
timethecapthediodebridgeandthe7805gethot.
I would provide you with a schematic but i didn't know how to post the Picture
here.
Regards,Kostas.
ButtonStartIgnitionCircuit
SMPSCircuitforLCDMonitors
BarcodeSecurityLockCircuitPart1
BarcodeSecurityLockCircuitPart2
SimpleWaterFlowSensor/MeterCircuit
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentin
TransformerlessP...
TemperaturetoVoltageConverterCircuit
TemperatureTriggeredDCFanSpeed
ControllerCirc...
SwagatamMajumdar
0to99DigitalPulseCounterCircuit
Thankyoukostas!IfyouaskmeaboutyourdesignIwouldsuggestthatit'snot
recommended and is dangerous to use a capacitive power supply for sensitive
circuits,Iwouldadviseyougoforanysmpsadapterinstead.
RefrigeratorDoorOpenAlarmCircuit
Cyclist'sSafetyLightCircuit
SimpleShadowDetectorCircuit
asforthecurrentdifference,theissuemaybeduetothezenerdiodeorthe7805
which are itself draining all the current and allowing only 47mA to pass to the
circuit, try removing the zener and check, or you may want to try a transistor
commoncollectorstageinsteadofthezenerandtheICforachievingtherequired
regulationwithoutdroppingmuchcurrent
TunedInfrared(IR)DetectorCircuit
Blinking3LEDs(R,G,B)SequentiallyUsing
Arduino...
CarBatteryVoltageMonitorCircuit
LogicLevelIndicatorCircuit
March22,2015at6:53PM
Reply
SetResetCircuitusingIC555
4LEDTemperatureIndicatorCircuit
February(18)
March(13)
April(18)
(***)(impetuos)(***) February17,2015at12:01AM
HelloMr,IwasreadingyourinterestingpostandIwaswonderingabouttheC1value,I'm
trying to get work a 60led string (3,2V 150mA) but the simulation doesn't work, my
calculationisfor120V60HzandtheC1valueis3,3uF,alsotheC2Iuse15uf250Vbutis
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
4/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
not working at all, I have a severe wave of VDC I mean is not continue , what could be
wrong? Also I tried to get a voltage doubler but the signal on VDC is the same as your
circuitsimulation
May(18)
June(16)
July(7)
Reply
Replies
SearchThisBlog
Search
SwagatamMajumdar
February17,2015at10:54AM
HelloMr.herearethecalculations:
Sincethesupplyis120Vyouwillneedtomaketwostringsof30LEDseachand
connecttheminparallel,eachhavinga22ohmseriesresistor
Thereforethetotalcurrentrequirementwouldbecome300mA.
As per the calculations a 1uF caapcitor at 60Hz/120V would produce 45mA
current,thereforeforachieving300mAwewouldneed300/45=6.66uFcapacitor
ForZ1youmayincludea120Vzenerdiodeorsimplyeliminateit.
C2couldbea15uF/250Vnoissues.
vasudevanv May27,2015at11:02PM
SwagathamMajumdar,
IfIneedoutput3VDCor6VDCwhatvalueofC!,C2,R1andR2tohaveinthe
circuit.Plexplain
Regards
VasudevanV
SwagatamMajumdar
May28,2015at8:44AM
NareshJain February18,2015at11:04PM
sirpleaseexplain:
Xc=1/2x3.14x50x0.000001
=3184ohmsapproximately
onsolvingaboveformulaitis0.0000785not3184
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
February19,2015at12:18PM
Naresh,
thenumerator1isfortheentiredenominator,calculateinthefollowingmanner:
1/(2x3.14x50x0.000001)
Reply
NareshJain February19,2015at2:25PM
Lotofthanks
Reply
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
5/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
manpreetsingh February25,2015at4:50PM
hellosirIamusingthesamecktbutdriving24ledinseriesC1is2.2uforR1is470Ebut
capC1getblastafterfewtimecanuhelpme
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
February25,2015at8:39PM
hellomanpreet,what'sthewattageoftheLEDs?
.....bythewaythecapacitormustbenonpolarandratedat400V
Reply
manpreetsingh February26,2015at10:42AM
Iamusing.5wattsmdledandpolyesterfilmcapis225j
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
February26,2015at6:18PM
trya1uF/400VPPCcaapcitor
Reply
manpreetsingh February27,2015at1:28PM
ThankyousirbutIamusing5730smd.5wattledForwardCurrentis150mAandaccording
totheabovecalculation1uf/400Vat250V/50Hzabletoprovide69mAcurrent.
andtheotherissueIhaveLEDheatingtomuchforthisIremoveloadingresistorandput22
ohmresistanceintheseriesitworkfor4hrs.
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
February27,2015at5:04PM
youmayuse2.2uFcapacitorbutmakesureits400Vratedandisnonpolar,and
alsodon'tforgettoputanNTCthermistorinserieswiththeinputofthecapacitor
asdescribedhere:
http://homemadecircuitsandschematics.blogspot.in/2013/02/usingntcresistoras
surgesuppressor.html
R1shouldbe1MegOhmoranyotherhighervalue
Reply
manpreetsingh February27,2015at5:56PM
Thanksforurresponssir1morethinkiwanttoknowhowtocalculatetheloadingresistor
valueintheckt.
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
February28,2015at5:04PM
AccordingtomeyoucanuseOhm'slawforthis:
R=V/I,V=330,andI=LEDcurrent
pradeep March30,2015at11:23PM
sirisloadresisterandR2aresame?ifnothowtocalculateit?howv=330after
bridgerectifier?
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
6/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
SwagatamMajumdar
March31,2015at3:12PM
pradeep the load resistance is not crucial, it should a low value resistor just to
restricttheswitchONsurge.
the peak value of 220V RMS is around 330V...after rectification the RMS turns
intopeakvalueintheformof330VDC
pradeep March31,2015at7:54PM
thankssirforreply,
mybasicknowledgeaboutanalogelectronicsisnotsostrong,iwanttoknowthat
ifiwillget220VRMSvalueafterC1,thenwhatispurposeofC1.howandwhere
acvoltageisdropping.
SwagatamMajumdar
April1,2015at10:06AM
thecapacitorrestrictsthe220Vcurrenttoaverysmalllevel,whenaloadwhich
hasvoltagerequirementmuchlowerthan220Vbutcurrentmuchhigherthanthe
capacitor output is connected, then the load acts like a shunts or shorts the
capacitoroutputuntilthe220Vvoltsdropstotheloadvoltagelevel.
SaqibMehmood July3,2015at5:06PM
Sir as I know that c1 control current then if current is 15 ma and my out put
current requirement is also 15ma then are u sure that at the out put we will get
15ma
SwagatamMajumdar
July3,2015at7:42PM
yesthat'sasurething...thecurrentcontrolwillbeconstantbutduringswitchONit
canincreaseintheformofainstantaneousspike.
Reply
shubhambansal July7,2015at2:20PM
sir,canwesimulatethiscircuitonmultisimsoftware?
becauseithink,inthissoftwaretheavailablecapacitoriselectrolyticcapacitor.
andweareusing105/440vPPCcapacitor.
if we cant simulate on multisim software so please guide me on which software we can
simulatethiscircuit.
andhowcanwecalculatethevalueofvoltageandcurrentafterthebridgerectifier.
Reply
Replies
SwagatamMajumdar
July7,2015at6:06PM
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
7/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
Enteryourcomment...
Commentas:
Publish
GoogleAccount
Preview
Readersarerequestednottoincludeexternallinkswhilecommenting.Forconsultingadiagram,
uploaditonGoogleDriveandprovidethelinkhere.
NewerPost
Home
OlderPost
Subscribeto:PostComments(Atom)
Readersareadvisedtoproceedwiththeconstructionofthepresentedcircuitsonlyafter
understandingtheconceptsfromthecore.Notadheringtothiscanleadtofailuresand
frustrations.
CopyrightSwagatamInnovations.Allrightsreserved
PopularPosts
SimpleHobbyElectronicCircuits
Afewoftheinterestingandusefulhobbyelectroniccircuitdiagramsalready
publishedinthisbloghavebeenselectedandcompiledheref...
MakingaSimpleInverterCircuit
Thissupersimpledesignofaninvertercircuitdoesnotlimititinanywayfrom
providingahighoutputpowerandanefficiencyofagood...
HowtoMakeaSimplest,Compact1WattLEDDriverCircuitat220V/110VMains
Voltage
WhiteLEDsarethelightingsolutionsofthefuture,simplybecausethesedevices
canbelitbrightlyatrelativelynegligiblepowerconsum...
SimpleLEDEmergencyLightCircuit
Thearticledescribesaverysimplehomemadeemergencylightcircuitthatcanbe
usedduringpowerfailuresandoutdoorswhereanyotherso...
50WattSmallInverterCircuitAschoolScienceExhibitionproject
A50wattinvertermightlookquitetrivial,butitcanservesomeusefulpurposesto
you.Whenoutdoors,thissmallpowerhousecanbeus...
HowtoMakeaSolarInverterCircuit
Solarpowerisabundantlyavailabletousandisfreetouse,moreoveritsan
unlimited,unendingnaturalsourceofenergy,easilyaccessi...
MakeaRemoteControlledToyCarCircuit
Themarketmaybefullofthesehiendremotecontrolledtoycars,butfora
hobbyistsmakingoneathomecanbeentirelyadifferentexper...
UnderstandingRegisters:PICTutorial1
HowtoBuildanAutomatic6volt,12volt,24voltLeadAcidBatteryChargerCircuit
Asimpleyetaccurateautomatic,regulated6/12/24voltleadacidbatterychargercircuitis
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
8/9
7/13/2015
CalculatingCapacitorCurrentinTransformerlessPowerSupplies|HomemadeCircuitProjects
explainedinthisarticle.Thecircuitswitch...
PureSineWaveInverter,UsingIC555
TheproposedcircuitgeneratesaccuratelyspacedPWMpulseswhichimitatesa
sinewaveverycloselyandthuscanbeconsideredasgoodasi...
FB
CopyrightSwagatamInnovations.Allrightsreserved
Simpletemplate.PoweredbyBlogger.
http://www.homemadecircuits.com/2015/01/calculatingcapacitorcurrentin.html
9/9