DIY voltage converter

The idea to create a voltage converter with your own hands appears when there is access to direct current, but you need an alternating current. The need to create a device for converting electrical voltage from 12 to 220 W arises when using low-power electrical appliances: laptop, tablet, charger for smartphone or LED TV. Let’s see how real this is.

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The difference between the types of electric current

The definition of electric current from a school textbook is “the ordered movement of charged particles”. Consider the difference between AC and DC:

• Under the action of direct current, its value fluctuates, but the sign remains constant.
• In alternating current, over time, not only the magnitude changes, but also the sign. There are positive and negative half-periods. The positive half-period includes everything that is above the zero level. That below the zero level is a negative half-cycle.

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Definition and purpose of the converter

An electric power converter is an electric device designed to change the electric current according to voltage, frequency, signal types and number of phases. In the manufacture of converters, semiconductor devices are often used, since they provide the best performance indicators.

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Classification

There are 2 types of converters:

• Inverters
• Rectifiers

Important! Rectifiers are designed to convert AC to DC, and inverters - exactly the opposite.

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Self-made voltage converters

If there is a correct circuit, then at home, you can assemble both rectifiers and inverters. Consider the simplest option.

General rules

To begin with, a few basic recommendations for someone who wants to create a do-it-yourself converter:

• Use an ordinary multivibrator, which will serve as a distributor. Of course, it is inferior to modern distributors on microcircuits, but for a simple device it is quite enough.

Important! The multivibrator functions stably, so you should not be afraid of frequent breakdowns. Multivibrators are also resistant to adverse weather conditions.

• Use a ready-made UPS transformer. Due to the volume of the core of the transformer, it is possible to reset about 0.3 kW of input power.

This do-it-yourself voltage inverter circuit has the only minus: there is no protection at the input and output of the electric current. When a short circuit occurs, the field keys overheat until they completely fail.

However, she also has plenty of advantages:

• High maintainability.
• Minimum financial costs.
• Compact board.
• Good performance in all weather conditions.
• Availability of components for repair.
• The output frequency is 50 Hz.

The simplest rectifier

The simplest rectifier circuit consists of 3 main components:

• Rectifier with one limited conductivity. Its purpose is the conversion of electrical voltage from alternating to pulsed.
• Power transformer.
• A device designed to filter the voltage of a pulse type.

The main recommendations for the manufacture of a rectifier device are as follows:

1. The main component of the device is a transformer (stationary or portable).
2. You can adjust the voltage value with a rheostat.
3. Manual adjustment of the rheostat voltage is inconvenient. It is much more rational to turn on the chip to stabilize the voltage.
4. Use about 12-15 capacitors of different capacities. Their use makes the current more uniform.
5. To make the current equalization softer, use several rheostats in the circuit.
6. Combine the circuit into a single stream and take it to a diode connected to an ordinary outlet.
7. All the above actions relate to the wire with the phase, it must be connected to the outlet.

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Stock footage

To assemble a step-down voltage converter with your own hands, you will need a transformer with a second coil wrapped in thicker copper wire. This is a prerequisite in order to avoid instant transformer failure. There are universal devices that can work both to increase and to lower the voltage.