HV DC Power Supply Applications Capacitor Charging & PV Inverter Testing
Using programmable HV DC supplies for capacitor bank charging, PV inverter simulation, and laser diode driving. 2026 Application Notes.
High voltage programmable supplies are used primarily where standard fixed sources cannot provide the necessary control over current ramp-up or voltage curves.
The Unique Demands of Capacitor Charging (Constant Current)
The Challenge
Testing high-voltage capacitor banks (used in pulsed power or UPS systems) presents a difficult load profile. An uncharged capacitor appears as a dead short circuit. A standard CV supply will immediately trigger OCP (Over Current Protection) and shut down.
The supply must operate in Constant Current mode initially, pushing a fixed current into the load while voltage rises linearly.
Once the target voltage is reached, the supply must cross over seamlessly to Constant Voltage (CV) mode.
Simulating Solar Arrays (PV Curves) with Programmable Supplies
Solar inverters track the "Maximum Power Point" (MPPT) of a solar array. Testing them requires a power supply that mimics the behavior of a solar panel, not a battery.
A digital HV supply can be programmed with a specific I-V curve. As the inverter draws more current, the voltage drops according to the programmed mathematical model, simulating cloud cover or sunset conditions.
High Voltage Burn-in for EV Components
DC-DC converters and onboard chargers in Electric Vehicles require prolonged exposure to high voltages to identify early failures.
Requirement: 24/7 operation at 800V+. This requires rack-mount units with high-efficiency fan cooling to prevent thermal shutdown during continuous full-load operation.