Reduce PSU Ripple with Capacitor

akshaynaik

Junior Member
Feb 11, 2014
1
0
0
Hi,

Is it possible to smooth out the ripple and noise of a PSU by attaching capacitors on the output side? Like connecting them to the molex connectors?

It should work in theory right?>
 

Harvey

Administrator<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
35,057
67
91
Your basic theory is sound... to a point... but unfortunately, it's a bit detached from the reality of current PSU design.

Ripple reduction is achieved with a circuit consisting of a series impedence, which can be a linear resistor (R), which has a resistance (in ohms - &#937;) that remains relatively constant with frequency, or an inductor (in henrys - L), which has a resistance that rises with frequency, and a shunt capacitor, which has a resistance that decreaes with frequency. Any D.C. voltage dropeed across the series impedence is wasted as heat. Indutors are preferred because all of the resistance, and thus, the loss, is much lower at D.C.

The frequency is calcuated to the point where power is reduced by half (-3 dB) by the equations:

f = 1/2 x &#960; x R x C for a resistor and

f = 1/2 x &#960; x L x C for an inductor

Assuming a PSU of competent design, a typical packaged PSU already has a lot of capacitance on each ouput. Depending on the design of the PSU and the specifications of the components, the effect of adding more capacitance could ramge from almost nothing to catastrophic failure. Consider three conditions:

1. In combination with the series resistance, the capacitance is too low to add significant further ripple rejection, in which case you'll get little if any measurable improvement.

2. The capacitance is sufficient to improve ripple rejection, which would probably require very large capactors to come close to the amount of capacitance already in the unit, and you'll run into space and cost limitations.

3. The effective impedence of a capacitor falls to near zero ohms and acts as a short circuit to ground at high frequencies. Adding enough capacitance across an output to have a significant effect on ripple could cause the current limit protection circuitry to see the capacitor as a short circuit and shut down the entire supply. If the current limit protection circuitry is inadequate or if it fails, it could cause a catastrophic failure. You'll know if you smell smoke or see flames. :eek:

There are many other factors in PSU design including the non-ideal characteristics of real world components and the effects of active ripple rejection circuitry, which can accomplish far more ripple reduction than is possible with a passive L-C or R-C network, but without knowing more about the actual circuitry, simply hanging a lot of capacitance on the output of an existing design is at least speculative and at worst, catastrophic.
 

philipma1957

Golden Member
Jan 8, 2012
1,714
0
76
Yeah I have to go with Harvey and say don't bother adding caps on after the fact.

You could try to build a power conditioner/voltage stabilizer &#8230;.. ahead of the PSU&#8230;


wall plug----- PSU---- PC

becomes Wall---- plug-----power conditioner--- PSU----PC but costly just get a quality PSU

go to jonny guru's site and read his top PSU's with low ripple

http://www.jonnyguru.com/


http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=339

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=340

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=331

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=300


http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=264 I own this and it is very good
 
Last edited:

silicon

Senior member
Nov 27, 2004
886
1
81
Hi,

Is it possible to smooth out the ripple and noise of a PSU by attaching capacitors on the output side? Like connecting them to the molex connectors?

It should work in theory right?>

I am curious why you think your PSU might need a capacitor at the output to smooth the ripple? Unless you have measured something with an oscilloscope or other device then you would not know. My suggestion is to not add anything to the output you will not improve anything. It was suggested to add a power conditioner between the wall plug and the PSU....this could help to cut down on the 'noise".
 

philipma1957

Golden Member
Jan 8, 2012
1,714
0
76
I am curious why you think your PSU might need a capacitor at the output to smooth the ripple? Unless you have measured something with an oscilloscope or other device then you would not know. My suggestion is to not add anything to the output you will not improve anything. It was suggested to add a power conditioner between the wall plug and the PSU....this could help to cut down on the 'noise".

maybe he did a lot of diy work with amps for stereo gear.

you could smooth ripple a bit with added power caps in the amps transformer/cap/rectifier circuits.

but I rather use clean power to the psu. I have so many diy power/noise cleaners when I played around with amps and speakers. but frankly I am older I don't hear much hiss anymore. used to drive me nuts.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
12,004
2,748
136
maybe he did a lot of diy work with amps for stereo gear.

you could smooth ripple a bit with added power caps in the amps transformer/cap/rectifier circuits.

but I rather use clean power to the psu. I have so many diy power/noise cleaners when I played around with amps and speakers. but frankly I am older I don't hear much hiss anymore. used to drive me nuts.
Well, the audio folks would rather put direct AC lines or use full-blown power RR regenerators for their audio enthusiast needs.
 

silicon

Senior member
Nov 27, 2004
886
1
81
maybe he did a lot of diy work with amps for stereo gear.

you could smooth ripple a bit with added power caps in the amps transformer/cap/rectifier circuits.

but I rather use clean power to the psu. I have so many diy power/noise cleaners when I played around with amps and speakers. but frankly I am older I don't hear much hiss anymore. used to drive me nuts.

Possibly true about the audio work but i go back to my original question....how much ripple was measured and with what instrument?