I had a feeling the circuitry was going to be like this, but in a way it was simpler than expected.
This is a high voltage power supply for running dielectric barrier ozone generators like the inline air tubes and ceramic plate types.
The circuitry is clearly optimised for cost and reliability, at the cost of being quite electrically spiky. It literally shunts capacitors 100/120 times a second.
There's one slight oddity, even for such a simple circuit. I was expecting there to be something like a diac to provide a clean switching pulse to the thyristor. Instead it sees a fairly slow rise via a resistor and capacitor. The gate current on this component is a surprisingly low 200uA.
For those not familiar with thysistors, they are a power switching component that only conducts in one direction like a switchable diode. When a high enough current is flowing in the gate it causes the thyristor to latch on like a switch until the current flowing through it falls below its latching threshold. In this circuit it is being used to dump the charge on a capacitor through the primary of the simple ferrite rod transformer to induce a high voltage on the other secondary.
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12 thoughts on “Inside a nasty high voltage ozone generator psu. with schematic”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Stephen Belcher says:

    MilliO H Ms Clive Life:

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars geomcc39 says:

    New to experimenting with ozone thanks ! schematic for flux capacitor

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars LR Mack McBride says:

    You mentioned the capacitor if it was a neon tube but the ozone plates act as capacitors provided they aren't cracked or shorting.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Benjamin Totallynotalt says:

    I feel so bad for hat thyristor with its shunted legs.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars B Van Glorious says:

    Hey Clive, your ? On which is more efficient is the question I am currently undertaking so I was wondering if you had come to any sort of conclusion in that regard? Thanks much, mate.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars cheekybastard99 says:

    Can you recommend a better psu?

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Brian Gregory says:

    The description of the common mode choke was confusing. When the current flows in the circuit the magnetic fields are in opposite directions around the core and cancel out. When the current is common mode interference the fields then reinforce each other so that there is inductance to reduce the current flowing as would happen with two separate ordinary inductors.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars james haliday says:

    A elegant circuit is economical and efficient and robust in design and makeup. see yera 1962

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars james haliday says:

    how about US made 3pl 0 ozone .,junk as well. ,why a one year life span.?

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars james haliday says:

    far celestial airliners ,welcome abourd please turn off all phones, as they cause plain to plummet

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ken More says:

    Hey Clive, please forgive me for replying to so many old videos of yours, I'm trying to catch up, in no particular order yet.

    As horrible as this circuit is on the surface, I have to say it's pretty genius too. It's simple, it works, it's cheap and it gets the job done. Either the designer is a genius or a rogue, but I doubt the latter because it would take forever to stumble on a circuit as shall I say it?…elegant as this which works and is so inexpensive.

    Yeah, it no doubt it puts lots of noise on the line. It's definitely NOT power factor corrected. It may suffer from premature failure, though I see no sign of that. A fuse would have been nice. I guess they expect the in-line capacitor to limit the current, but it's not designed to do that. It would though.

    Also, pointing out, when the SCR triggers, the trigger lead capacitor starts to discharge right then, not at the end of the cycle. Since the SCR shorts the power, an "end of cycle" trigger is guaranteed. As is that trigger cap discharge.

    I hate to say it, but if I designed this, I may be proud. Yeah, I'd worry more about filtering and these days, power factor, but as a stupid-simple circuit, I like it.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bonnie says:

    The neighbourhood cats turned up to watch you angle grind? Your Scottish cats would have ours for breakfast

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