Contents
From the article you will learn how to increase the current in the charger circuit, in the power supply, transformer, generator, in the USB ports of the computer without changing the voltage.
What is amperage?
Electric current is an ordered movement of charged particles inside a conductor with the obligatory presence of a closed circuit.
The appearance of current is due to the movement of electrons and free ions with a positive charge.
In the process of moving, charged particles can heat the conductor and have a chemical effect on its composition. In addition, the current can affect neighboring currents and magnetized bodies.
Current strength is an electrical parameter that is a scalar quantity. Formula:
I=q/t, where I is current, t is time, and q is charge.
Ohm’s law is also worth knowing, according to which current is directly proportional to U (voltage) and inversely proportional to R (resistance).
I = U / R.
There are two types of current – positive and negative.
Below we consider what this parameter depends on, how to increase the current strength in the circuit, in the generator, in the power supply and in the transformer.
Here are some proven recommendations that will help you achieve your goals.
What determines the current?
To increase I in a circuit, it is important to understand what factors can affect this parameter. Here you can highlight the dependence on:
- resistance. The smaller the parameter R (Ohm), the higher the current strength in the circuit.
- Voltages. According to the same Ohm’s law, we can conclude that as U increases, the current strength also increases.
- Magnetic field strength. The larger it is, the higher the voltage.
- The number of turns of the coil. The larger this indicator, the larger U and, accordingly, the higher I.
- The power of the force that is transmitted to the rotor.
- Conductor diameters. The smaller it is, the higher the risk of heating and burnout of the supply wire.
- Power supply designs.
- The diameter of the wires of the stator and armature, the number of ampere-turns.
- Generator parameters – operating current, voltage, frequency and speed.
How to increase the current in the circuit?
There are situations when it is necessary to increase the I that flows in the circuit, but it is important to understand that measures must be taken to protect electrical appliances, this can be done using special devices.
Consider how to increase the current strength using simple devices.
You will need an ammeter to do the job.
Option 1.
According to Ohm’s law, current is equal to voltage (U) divided by resistance (R). The simplest way to increase the force I, which suggests itself, is to increase the voltage that is applied to the input of the circuit, or to reduce the resistance. In this case, I will increase in direct proportion to U.
For example, when connecting a 20 ohm circuit to a power source with U = 3 Volts, the current will be 0,15 A.
If you add another 3V power supply to the circuit, the total value of U can be increased to 6 Volts. Accordingly, the current will also double and reach a limit of 0,3 Amperes.
The power sources must be connected in series, that is, the plus of one element is connected to the minus of the first.
To obtain the required voltage, it is enough to connect several power supplies into one group.
In everyday life, constant U sources combined into one group are called batteries.
Despite the obviousness of the formula, practical results may differ from theoretical calculations, which is associated with additional factors – the heating of the conductor, its cross section, the material used, and so on.
As a result, R changes in the direction of increase, which leads to a decrease in the force I.
Increasing the load in the electrical circuit can cause overheating of the conductors, burnout or even a fire.
That is why it is important to be careful when operating devices and take into account their power when choosing a section.
The value of I can be increased in another way by reducing the resistance. For example, if the input voltage is 3 volts, and R is 30 ohms, then a current equal to 0,1 amperes passes through the circuit.
If you reduce the resistance to 15 ohms, the current strength, on the contrary, will double and reach 0,2 amperes. The load decreases almost to zero during a short circuit near the power source, in this case I increase to the maximum possible value (taking into account the power of the product).
You can further reduce the resistance by cooling the wire. Such an effect of superconductivity has long been known and is actively used in practice.
To increase the current strength in the circuit, electronic devices are often used, for example, current transformers (as in welders). The strength of the variable I in this case increases with decreasing frequency.
If there is active resistance in the AC circuit, I increases with an increase in the capacitance of the capacitor and a decrease in the inductance of the coil.
In a situation where the load is purely capacitive, the current increases with increasing frequency. If the circuit includes inductors, the force I will increase simultaneously with the decrease in frequency.
Also read – how electric current acts on the human body.
Option 2.
To increase the current strength, you can focus on another formula, which looks like this:
I = U*S/(ρ*l). Here we know only three parameters:
- S – wire section;
- l is its length;
- ρ is the specific electrical resistance of the conductor.
To increase the current, assemble a chain in which there will be a current source, a consumer and wires.
The role of the current source will be performed by a rectifier, which allows you to regulate the EMF.
Connect the circuit to the source, and the tester to the consumer (pre-set the device to measure the current strength). Increase the EMF and control the performance on the device.
As noted above, as U increases, the current can also be increased. A similar experiment can be done for resistance.
To do this, find out what material the wires are made of and install products that have a lower resistivity. If you cannot find other conductors, shorten those that are already installed.
Another way is to increase the cross section, for which parallel to the installed wires it is worth mounting similar conductors. In this case, the cross-sectional area of the wire increases and the current increases.
If we shorten the conductors, the parameter (I) of interest to us will increase. If desired, options for increasing the current strength can be combined. For example, if the conductors in the circuit are shortened by 50%, and U is raised by 300%, then the force I will increase by 9 times.
How to increase the current in the power supply?
On the Internet, you can often find the question of how to increase I in the power supply without changing the voltage. Consider the main options.
Situation No. 1.
The 12 volt power supply operates with a current of 0,5 amperes. How to raise I to the limit value? To do this, a transistor is placed in parallel with the PSU. In addition, a resistor and a stabilizer are installed at the input.
Learn more – how to check the transistor with a multimeter for serviceability.
When the voltage across the resistance drops to the desired value, the transistor opens, and the rest of the current flows not through the stabilizer, but through the transistor.
The latter, by the way, must be selected according to the rated current and a radiator should be installed.
In addition, the following options are available:
- Increase the power of all elements of the device. Install a stabilizer, a diode bridge and a higher power transformer.
- If there is current protection, reduce the value of the resistor in the control circuit.
Situation No. 2.
There is a power supply for U u220d 240-12 Volts (at the input), and at the output a constant U u5d 10 Volts and I uXNUMXd XNUMX Amperes. The task is to increase the current to XNUMX amperes. At the same time, the PSU should remain approximately the same size and not overheat.
Here, to increase the output power, it is necessary to use another transformer, which is recalculated for 12 Volts and 10 Amps. Otherwise, the product will have to be rewound on its own.
In the absence of the necessary experience, it is better not to take risks, because there is a high probability of a short circuit or burnout of expensive circuit elements.
The transformer will have to be changed to a larger product, as well as recalculate the damper chain located on the DRAIN of the key.
The next point is the replacement of the electrolytic capacitor, because when choosing a capacity, you need to focus on the power of the device. So, for 1 W of power, there are 1-2 microfarads.
It is also recommended to change the diodes with rectifiers. In addition, it may be necessary to install a new rectifier diode on the low side and increase the capacitance of the capacitors.
After such an alteration, the device will heat up more strongly, so you cannot do without installing a fan.
How to increase the current in the charger?
In the process of using chargers, you may notice that the chargers for a tablet, phone or laptop have a number of differences. In addition, the speed at which the device is charged may also vary.
Here a lot depends on whether the original or non-original device is used.
To measure the current that comes to the tablet or phone from the charger, you can use not only the ammeter, but also the Ampere application.
With the help of software, it is possible to find out the rate of charge and discharge of the battery, as well as its condition. The application is free to use. The only downside is the ads (the paid version doesn’t have any).
The main problem with charging batteries is the low current of the charger, which makes the capacity build-up time too long. In practice, the current flowing in the circuit directly depends on the power of the charger, as well as other parameters – the length of the cable, its thickness and resistance.
With the help of the Ampere app, you can see at what current the device is charging, and also check if the product can be charged at a faster speed.
To use the capabilities of the application, just download it, install and run it.
After that, the phone, tablet or other device is connected to the charger. That’s all – it remains to pay attention to the parameters of current and voltage.
In addition, information about the type of battery, U level, battery status, and temperature conditions will be available to you. You can also see the maximum and minimum I occurring during the period of the cycle.
If you have several memory devices at your disposal, you can run the program and try to charge each of them. Based on the test results, it is easier to make a choice of a memory that provides maximum current. The higher this parameter is, the faster the device will charge.
Measuring current is not the only thing the Ampere app can do. With it, you can check how much I is consumed in standby mode or when you turn on various games (applications).
For example, after turning off the brightness of the display, deactivating GPS or transferring data, it is easy to notice a decrease in load. Against this background, it is easier to conclude which options drain the battery to a greater extent.
What else is worth noting? All manufacturers recommend charging devices with “native” chargers that deliver a certain current.
But during operation, there are situations when you have to charge your phone or tablet with other chargers that have more power. As a result, the charging speed may be higher. But not always.
Few people know, but some manufacturers limit the current limit that the battery of the device can accept.
For example, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha device comes with a 1,35 Amp charger.
When a 2-amp charger is connected, nothing changes – the charging speed remains the same. This is due to the limitation that is set by the manufacturer. A similar test was made with a number of other phones, which only confirmed the guess.
Given the above, we can conclude that “non-native” memory is unlikely to harm the battery, but can sometimes help in faster charging.
Let’s consider one more situation. When charging the device via a USB connector, the battery gains capacity more slowly than if you charge the device from a conventional charger.
This is due to the limitation of the current strength that the USB port is capable of delivering (no more than 0,5 Amperes for USB 2.0). In the case of using USB3.0, the current strength increases to the level of 0,9 Amperes.
In addition, there is a special utility that allows the “troika” to pass a larger I through itself.
For Apple devices, the program is called ASUS Ai Charger, and for other devices, ASUS USB Charger Plus.
How to increase the current in a transformer?
Another question that worries electronics lovers is how to increase the current strength in relation to the transformer.
Here are the following options:
- Install a second transformer;
- Increase the diameter of the conductor. The main thing is to allow the section of the “iron”.
- Raise U;
- Increase the cross section of the core;
- If the transformer works through a rectifier, it is worth using a product with a voltage multiplier. In this case, U increases, and with it, the load current also increases;
- Buy a new transformer with suitable current;
- Replace the core with a ferromagnetic version of the product (if possible).
A transformer has a pair of windings (primary and secondary). Many output parameters depend on the wire cross section and the number of turns. For example, on the high side, X turns, and on the other side, 2X.
This means that the voltage on the secondary winding will be lower, as well as the power. The output parameter also depends on the efficiency of the transformer. If it is less than 100%, U and the current in the secondary circuit decrease.
Taking into account the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:
- The power of the transformer depends on the width of the permanent magnet.
- To increase the current in the transformer, a decrease in R load is required.
- The current (A) depends on the diameter of the winding and the power of the device.
- In case of rewinding, it is recommended to use thicker wire. In this case, the ratio of the wire by weight on the primary and secondary windings is approximately identical. If 0,2 kg of iron is wound on the primary winding, and 0,5 kg on the secondary, the primary will burn out.
How to increase the current in the generator?
The current in the generator directly depends on the load resistance parameter. The lower this setting, the higher the current.
If I is higher than the nominal parameter, this indicates the presence of an emergency mode – a decrease in frequency, overheating of the generator and other problems.
For such cases, protection or disconnection of the device (part of the load) must be provided.
In addition, with increased resistance, the voltage decreases, U is added at the output of the generator.
To keep the parameter at an optimal level, the excitation current is regulated. In this case, an increase in the excitation current leads to an increase in the generator voltage.
The mains frequency must be at the same level (be a constant value).
Consider an example. In a car alternator, it is necessary to increase the current from 80 to 90 amperes.
To solve this problem, it is required to disassemble the generator, separate the winding and solder the output to it, followed by connecting the diode bridge.
In addition, the diode bridge itself is changed to a part of higher performance.
After that, it is required to remove the winding and a piece of insulation in the place where the wire should be soldered.
If there is a faulty generator, the output is bitten off from it, after which legs of the same thickness are built up with the help of copper wire.
After soldering, the joint is insulated with heat shrink.
The next step is to buy an 8-diode bridge. Finding him is a very difficult task, but you need to try.
Before installation, it is advisable to check the product for serviceability (if the part is used, a breakdown of one or more diodes is possible).
After installing the bridge, attach the capacitor, and then the voltage regulator at 14,5 volts.
You can purchase a pair of regulators – 14,5 (German) and 14 Volts (domestic).
Now the rivets are drilled, the legs are soldered and the tablets are separated. Next, the tablet is soldered to the domestic regulator, which is fixed with screws.
It remains to solder the domestic “pill” to the foreign regulator and assemble the generator.
Results
As can be seen from the article, it is real to increase the current strength without changing the voltage in the network.
The main thing is to understand the design features of the device that is subject to adjustment, and to have practical skills in working with measuring instruments and a soldering iron. In addition, it is important to be aware of the potential risks from making adjustments.