High voltage rectifier diodes would have very low doped N-regions, which means fairly long carrier lifetimes so no doubt they work somewhat like a PIN diode if properly biased.  But they aren't really the same thing, and I still say that a PIN diode has performance advantages in many situations.  They are more difficult and costly to build, though.

I used to manage a large semiconductor entity that manufactured these things.

73,
Dave   AB7E




On 8/26/2021 2:05 PM, jerry wrote:
Using 1N4007's and 1N5208's ( I could have the last # wrong ) as "Poor Man PIN
diodes" is pretty established practice in the amateur community. Look up
W6JL on QRZ.com.  He has an extensive article about it on his page there.

Also Hans Summers of qrp-labs uses them in his 50W QSK amplifier.

  Apparently, these kilovolt rectifiers behave very much like PIN diodes,
at speed.

               - Jerry KF6VB



On 2021-08-26 11:46, David Gilbert wrote:
That sounds odd to me.  True PIN diodes are current actuated devices.
The carrier lifetimes are long enough that the devices are "on" even
if the signal peaks exceed the voltage of the control current ... as
long, of course, as the control current exceeds the signal current.

On the other hand, I've heard that Elecraft has sometimes used regular
switching diodes instead of PINs, and for those you need a voltage
that exceeds the peak voltage of whatever you're switching.

Both types of diodes have their place ... using one where the other
works better is not good practice.

73,
Dave   AB7E



On 8/26/2021 11:33 AM, Fred Jensen wrote:
I think the 270 V circuit is DC bias for the PIN diodes in the TR-switch.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 8/26/2021 10:32 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:
My KPA-500 has been running great for several years.  Recently I noticed it
was making the occasional extra "click" or "thunk" upon powering up or
down.  Usually it would "click" when powered up and again when powered
down, but recently a few seconds after the first click there would be
another one, maybe more of a thunk sound.

This afternoon I turned it on and when I pushed the Operate/Standby button I got a fault light and the 270V ERR message on the display. The menu HV option shows 68.4V, varying a bit, on my 240V line.  I put it on the bench and opened up the top cover.  There is a smell of overheated components,
maybe burnt but more like too hot.

I've submitted the contact form on the Elecraft support page. Any
suggestions?  For now, I'm running barefoot...

73 de Chuck, WS1L



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