Diodes Diodes and more diodes!

[Guest Junkman]

What would be a good use for a lot of high quality, high amp diodes that were next to free? I have many, salvaged from computer power supplies, in a package similar to a T0-220, some bigger, some smaller. some of these diodes are capable of up to around 30 amps per leg, and there are two diodes in each 'pagkage', like this:
-> | <- (never like this: <- | ->)
I have already rescued a heavy duty 'garrage' type battery charger, which was given to me when it fried one of it's diodes. I removed both of the orginial diodes, which looked to me to be of the old selenium type, though probably weren't, and used 4 of the above mentioned diode packages, for a total of 8 diodes, each rated at 30 amps, and the battery charger was rated for 80 amps max on 'boost', used for starting. (5 minutes @ 80 amps required 1 hour cool down) and 40 amps continous, or less. I added a HUGE heat sink in front of the existing fan, used lots of heat sink compound, and now feel that as long as the transformer dosen't over heat, the charger should be able to deliver 80 amps more or less continous, and still I have a nice safety margin on the diodes. (30a X 8 diodes=240A!) These diodes are well matched, being made on the same substrate, it is easy and safe to parallel them, and not worry about current hogging. (two diodes in a single package) I'v done my best to 'blow' one or more, abusing the restored battery charger at every chance. Not one has fried yet.
Now, once I have replaced the diodes in all three of my battery chargers, and setting aside a handful for future power supplies for HAM radios and such, I still have a bunch of these left over, runing from anywhere like 10 or 15 A per leg on up to 30 A or even more per leg. What would be a good use for them? They are (at least some that I was able to look up) shottky fast recovery, so these ought to be good for something more than just brute force power. Anyone have any ideas? I also have a lot of high value, high voltage electrolitics, from the same source. As well as a lot of other components. I still have about two more large boxes of these computer switching power supplies to salvage, and I have to do it soon, wife's orders! (I can 'condense' the pile down some by salvaging out just the goodies, and pitching the rest) I hate to throw anything away, and as my nickname might suggest, I love junk! My wife gave me that, I think to shame me. She dosen't love my 'junk', even though she does like it when I build or fix something on the quick, and cheap. It's a space thing, or rather, the lack of it. As George Carlin said: "I gotta have a place for my stuff"
Any ideas welcomed.
Junkman

[mixos]

Hello Junkman

Thanks for your interesting description.. it's really interesting (and dangerous :o) to "play" with power electronics! Have you got any photo of your charger? It will be very interesting also. What type of batteries you charge with it?

I propose to make a portable electric winding machine using those high amperage diodes. But you must find a high amperage transformer also! Not easy e?

Electronic junks are not junks for an electronic man!

[steven]

:D hello there, you are right . and i myself beleave that even junk parts can come in handy , ive had years expierience in dismantleing , electronic junk for parts

theres allways something intresting to use, and even high voltage microwave oven diodes are usefull to . even the moter, and thermal switches to, and magnets from the magnetron to , remember one electronics mans junk, is another electronics mans, treasure. :D steven.

[Guest]

I always try to use components from junk.

Go to yard sales or electronic repair shops. Find stuff that does not work and desolder the components it holds.

Standard as well as rare resistor,capacitor values of high tolerance levels can be found.

Its Electronics On Budget.

[audioguru]

Junk? No Way!
I use the little 1/10W resistors that I can't buy anywhere, that come from fried telephones, answering machines and AM-FM clock radios that I salvage from the curb on each garbage-day following a lighning storm.
But I hate surface-mount. When my arms became too short, I showed some surface-mount resistors to an optometrist and said that I need glasses so that I can read these, she said,"oh my god".

[Guest]

Well you have your point of view. Okay.
But,when buying brand new resistors,capacitors,LEDs, rectifier diodes,etc for the almost less than half the price(in my case) i buy some broken radio,etc i get many resistors and others.

Sometimes with luck you get the transistors you want.