rectifier cooling

[windrules]

to finnish of my 2 phase alternater made from single phase motor I need to heat sink my rectifiers an wonder what everyone else does for this.Thought about just bolting them onto main frame just behind genny but dont know if this will cool them well or do i need to go to ally heat sink of somekind.I don't expect much above 16 amps total output and are using 32 amp recifiers.On my tape drive mill I have put diode right next to 12volt battery bank,but need to rectifie this one on or very near genny as I have about 30 meters of wire from mill to batt bank and the wire is to expensive to run 4 wires.

Thanks in advance,regards,

Mos

[drdongle]

There are several factors to consider, the more surface area you have the more heat you can dissipate ( thats why stereos have large heat sinks with fins), and the more free air flow you have the better the dissipation ( this ties in with the heat sink) and the rating of the rectifier. You can never go wrong over rating the rectifier.

If in doubt use a heat sink mounted on the outside, perhaps under a shield to keep the rain and snow off.

Carpe Vigor

Dr.D

[tecker]

   Just pop for the wire and use some lightening protection with it ground rod movs etc

 spend now save later . As for heat sinks a junk computer has some options .

[RayW]

   Junked projection tv's are an excelent source of some very nice heatsinks. Most tv repair shops should have some.

       RayW

[Dan M]

This may be a stupid question, but why would you want to keep rain and snow off of a heat sink?

-Dan M

[TomW]

Dan M;



This may be a stupid question, but why would you want to keep rain and snow off of a heat sink?

Well, I think rain or snow on the heat sink itself probably no big deal. However, the moisture could cause electrical shorting and corrosion in connections. Just my first thoughts.

Cheers.

TomW

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

However, the moisture could cause electrical shorting and corrosion in connections.

In particular, the positive conductors will rot away - with metal atoms going into solution as ions.

[windrules]

Thanks guys I think I will do the heat sink from a computer as i have a few lying around with a rain cover as it never snows here.

Thanks for sugestion again,

Mos

[baggo]

Talking about rectifiers, has anybody used or thought of using Schottky diodes to construct the bridge rectifiers? They appear to have considerably less forward voltage drop than ordinary silicon diodes, hence their use as blocking diodes for solar panels etc.Using these should give less voltage drop across the bridge and hence less power wasted and less heat dissipated.

John