Charging HV capacitor

[WG1337]

Hi!
If I would have a HV capacitor rated at 5 kV, then how could I charge it?
For example, I have 2 of these capacitors and I have a power source 12VDC (or any other low voltage) and another example if I have a higher voltage like 120VDC. I read that a camera (uses a HV capacitor) gets the flash from the 2x1.5VDC battery to about 1kV in the capacitor, but to charge it uses a system that converts DC to AC and charges it. This seems familiar because my dad used to tell me his stories about how they charged a capacitor in 220VAC @ 50Hz and used it to shock some one (kinda sad, but apparently that was funny back in those days, Soviet Union eh?).

 

[kroni]

Hello!

you need DC to charge a capacitor, but AC to be able to transform or use a voltage multiplying circuit on it.

So... my approach - +12V, astabil mv to generate AC, run this through a voltage multiplier ala villard or cockcroft-walton, rectify again and charge.

take care, charged hv capacitors are especially dangerous, as they can deliver large quantities of energy in a quite short period of time. consider ohms law !

 

[tcmtech]

Depending on how big the capacitor is and how fast you want to charge it up there are many ways to do it from any reasonable power source.

You will need to narrow it down based on what you are going to use as the source, how good your fabrication skills are, plus what budget limitations you may have.

 

[Sceadwian]

What are the capactiance values of your units?

 

[Mark_R]

Years ago where I worked we had some big (6x6x8" ish) cap of unknown capacitance from the radar of a nuke sub. We used to take a 1000v pocket megger and charge it till the 9v battery went dead, about 5 minutes. Basically dumping the entire power of the battery into the cap. It would run up to about 600v. Big 'ol fireball when it was discharged.

Yeah, yeah, I know, not smart.