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20v to 360v boost converter

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I'm looking for a simple way to boost 20v to 360v with some capacitors. I was thinking maybe a charge pump controlled by a 555 timer, but to keep things as simple as possible I'd rather not use an IC. Perhaps it could be controlled by an astable multivibrator, that way I have complete knowledge of how everything in the circuit operates.

Going even more basic I really like the Marx generator, though rather than spark gaps maybe zener diodes? This was in fact essentially what I came up with when I first tried to draw the circuit before researching it.

Ideas, info and recommendations would be very welcome, thankyou.
 
Is it possible to input 20 VAC? In this manner you can maybe use a step-up transformer to step up the voltage and then just rectify, smooth and regulate it on the output.
 
A lot depends on how much current you need. What will you do with your 360 volts?
 
It's going to be a DC-DC converter so 20 VDC input.
I'm hoping to charge up a single 360v 2500uF capacitor, I know charge pumps/marx generators aren't best for high current but I don't mind if it takes a few minutes to charge the larger capacitor.
I already have some 25v caps and I'd rather build it using them than use a camera charger.
 
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Would I be able to use mosfets to enable the charge circuit then when activated disable it and enable the discharge circuit?
 
Well, you can do what you want. Not real efficient but why not. If you google voltage multipliers you will find diode capacitor circuits similar to your Marx generator. The 555 can't run on 20 volts so you will need to build a driver for it or run it at a lower voltage. It will take a lot of stages, but I guess you know that. Let us know what you think.
 
I was thinking that the 555 timer would just trigger mosfets that were connected to the main power supply. I have looked at voltage multipliers but they run on AC, that's how I found about the Marx generator.
I know it'll take a lot of stages, I'll start with 100v with 5 capacitors. I'll experiment in a circuit simulator and see if I can come up a basic design.
Yea, not really efficient, just for the fun of building some different.
 
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Multiplier

See if this is what you are after.
 

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That looks like it will work for what I'm after. Did you already know that design or did you find it somewhere because my poor googling has come up with nothing like that.
 
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It's a voltage multiplier. It just looks different because the simulator won't draw diagonal lines. You can just keep adding stages to get the voltage you want.
 
I understand now, I thought voltage multipliers only had AC input so I didn't think of using a square wave. I guess though that means the voltage wont be multiplied as much though since the the square wave doesn't go below 0V.
Thanks for the help :)
 
Here a circuit to get high voltage using a 555
Or you can buy a disposable camera or get one free from a photographics shop.

<mod edit: self promotion deleted. If you have content to share, please post directly to ETO. Do not link to your own personal website>
 
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