A method of providing welding type power, comprising: pre-regulating an input line voltage to provide a dc bus; and converting the dc bus to a welding type output; wherein the pre-regulating includes SVT and SCT switching a boost convertor, including maintaining a boost converter switch off, and allowing current to flow through a boost inductor, a snubber inductor, and a first diode, to the dc bus; turning the boost converter switch on and diverting current from the snubber inductor to the switch; reversing the current in the snubber inductor; discharging a second capacitor through a third diode, a first capacitor, and the snubber inductor, thereby transferring energy from the second capacitor to the snubber inductor; turning boost converter switch off; diverting current through a fourth diode, the third diode and the first capacitor when the second capacitor is discharged, thereby transferring energy from the snubber inductor to the first capacitor; allowing the voltage on the second capacitor to rise until current begins to flow from the snubber inductor to the first capacitor; diverting current from the second capacitor through a third diode to the second diode; allowing the current flowing from the boost inductor to the snubber inductor to increase until all of the current from the boost inductor flows into the snubber inductor; characterized by diverting current from the first capacitor through sixth diode and the third diode, thereby increasing the voltage on the second capacitor; diverting current from the first capacitor to the first diode; and repeating the SVT and SCT switching of the boost convertor. pre-regulating an input line voltage to provide a dc bus; and converting the dc bus to a welding type output; wherein the pre-regulating includes SVT and SCT switching a boost convertor, including maintaining a boost converter switch off, and allowing current to flow through a boost inductor, a snubber inductor, and a first diode, to the dc bus; turning the boost converter switch on and diverting current from the snubber inductor to the switch; reversing the current in the snubber inductor; discharging a second capacitor through a third diode, a first capacitor, and the snubber inductor, thereby transferring energy from the second capacitor to the snubber inductor; turning boost converter switch off; diverting current through a fourth diode, the third diode and the first capacitor when the second capacitor is discharged, thereby transferring energy from the snubber inductor to the first capacitor; allowing the voltage on the second capacitor to rise until current begins to flow from the snubber inductor to the first capacitor; diverting current from the second capacitor through a third diode to the second diode; allowing the current flowing from the boost inductor to the snubber inductor to increase until all of the current from the boost inductor flows into the snubber inductor; characterized by diverting current from the first capacitor through sixth diode and the third diode, thereby increasing the voltage on the second capacitor; diverting current from the first capacitor to the first diode; and repeating the SVT and SCT switching of the boost convertor.