Bridge Rectifier Temperature?

[Eric]

Now that it has been completed, I've been monitoring the temperatures inside my a40 amp. The heatsinks are hot, but you can leave your hand on them indefinitely.

What has me more concerned is the temperature of my bridge rectifiers. I haven't been able to find much discussion of acceptable rectifier temperatures. Using jh6you's nomenclature of:

"Blimey hot is 10 seconds hands on = 45 deg C.
Crikey hot is 5 seconds = 50 deg C.
Bloody hot is 2 seconds = 55 deg C.
X*?@! is 60 deg C."

I'd guess that the 5" x 1" aluminum strip attached to my bridge rectifier is approx 50-55 degrees. I've used aluminum strips because my amp resides in a wooden chassis and there is no room on the heatsinks for the rectifiers.

Is this an acceptable temperature for a generic, surlus 600PIV 35A bridge?

Thanks,
Eric

 

[JOE DIRT®]

Eric take a look on International Rectifiers site and compare with the spec sheets of an equivilent one on the S.O.A. of the device

Cheers!!The DIRT®

 

[Eric]

Thanks! On the IRF web site I found this for a 600PIV 35A bridge. The a40 pulls just less than 4 amps per channel, so it looks like at 5 amps, a typical bridge can stand over 130c.

Guess I'm well within the SOA... thanks for the tip!

Eric

 

[Circlotron]

It's a good thing to run low voltage diodes hot within reason - the voltage drop is lower so the losses are lower.