SMPS Ferrite Core from UK - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2013, 05:47:12 am
content: I need to know some SMPS tx ferrite core model from Farnell UK/ Rs Online UK. I wanna use them for building 200W-700W DC power supply and 500W-4000W sine wave inverter.I want to start R&D for the power supply and inverter using push-pull, half-bridge and full bridge topology.Pls suggest me appropriate part no...Any other cheaper source there rather than Farnell/RS ?

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2013, 07:54:24 am
content: Just search for them.I'm assuming that since you're planing on building a 4kW inverter you've sized and designed SMPS transformers before. So you can just search by the standard core sizes/shapes (e.g. ETD39... etc.) Then you'll have to buy the core halves, the former and the clips as separate items (unless you're using toroids of course). Having said that I've never had a need to using anything beyond the ETD39, so I'm not sure what they'll have that can support 4kW+ (a quick look at my reference book says an ETD49 in full bridge configuration can support up to 3.9kW @ 150kHz, so a single ETD59 should do it comfortably.) You could also interleave multiple converters.If you want to look at "new" core designs just jump over to FERROXCUBE and/or EPCOS websites and have a look through their range.

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2013, 08:03:32 am
content: Quote from: Harvs on March 19, 2013, 07:54:24 amThanks a lot for your info. which core material should I chose for my power requirement ?I have designed some half bridge power supply using atx trafo long time ago without knowing their core characteristics/materials...after detachment of several years now I wanna give a fresh start for smps trafo design using fullbridge,halfbridge and push-pull topology....

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2013, 08:34:31 am
content: I can't accurately answer that question for you. Grab yourself a book with the methodology for designing these types of transformers in it (I recommend either the A. Pressman or the more modern K. Billings books), and work through all the requirements. Then you'll see the trade-offs in performance with the different core materials at different frequencies. Many of them could be made to work just fine, but some will be better than others (which also may make them more expensive.)

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 10:11:57 am
content: What is the best and cheapest place to buy ferrite smps core from UK ?

author: mzzj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 10:37:22 am
content: Quote from: maxpayne on March 22, 2013, 10:11:57 amDont know about UK butwww.tme.euhas better than average selection and prices.Sizes and materials you have to figure out by yourself, building 5kW inverter requires HELL LOT MORE than getting suitable part number. No offense but quite often hobbyist start from "giggawatts" SPMS without having any clue how much work they have to do to make it actually working.Harvs already recommended some books. Texas Instruments has also a LOT of usefull information in their seminar material series.TI website is sometimes a bit mess to navigate but here is a nice list:http://www.smps.us/Unitrode.html

author: larry42
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 11:59:09 am
content: Can you tell us a bit more about the application?Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 12:34:08 pm
content: Quote from: mzzj on March 22, 2013, 10:37:22 amYa .. I know that... I have studied a lot in this .... problem is that when you start R&D u need to know the core parameters and specifications. in my place there is no part no. marked core is sold and the shopkeeper also does not know that. so ihave to source them from UK (where my friends reside), at least to know the values of the core parameters before designing.Quote from: larry42 on March 22, 2013, 11:59:09 amDC Power Supply (300W- 800W)Sine Wave Inverter (300W-1200W)

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 02:04:26 pm
content: High power cores are a specialist item and you will be best off talking to a specialist distributor than a broad-line distributor like RS & Farnell.Start from the manufacturer and then look a their list of distributors.

author: maxpayne
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2013, 06:42:07 am
content: got the point ... thank you

author: penfold
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2013, 01:51:13 pm
content: PACE magnetics have a nice range, very reliable supplier and stock a nice range.Cores good upto a few kW are pretty run of the mill, farnell and rs both stock EPCOS cores, be wary of buying a core unless you know all its details like core material, some of them aren't marked and you could get some rather dubious results without knowing stuff like that