Electronic – Inrush current calculation in capacitive circuite…

capacitorinrush-current

I am using the following circuit to make a transformer-less AC to DC converter.
It is working fine in my case. Now I need to protect my rectifying diodes from damage due to inrush current in this circuit.Here the resistor R4 is used to limit the inrush current.So to select a suitable value for R4 I need to calculate the maximum inrush current current in this circuit.
So how can I calculate the inrush current in this circuit……..? What about the surge power in R4?
What will be the suitable value for R4….?enter image description here

Best Answer

If you assume that AC is 240V,RMS and can be turned ON instantaneously at any angle, that C2 is completely discharged before AC power-up, and that the the voltage drop across each of the diodes in the bridge is 1 volt, then if the mains are enerizgized at at either \$90 ^{\circ}\$ degrees or \$270^{\circ}\$ the instantaneous initial current out of the mains, on power-up will be:

$$ I = \frac{340V - 2V}{100\Omega} = 3.38 amperes $$