Max voltage safe for all electronic devices?

Green Xenon [Radium]

Hi:

What is the maximum voltage possible *without* doing any of the
following to any extent?:

1. Exceeding the dielectric strength of any electronic component

2. Generating temperatures above 70 Fahrenheit in any electronic component

3. Ionizing any electronic component

Thanks,

Radium

marcusl

This question has no simple answer because components vary so widely in their properties. The value for a resistor or transformer can be orders of magnitude higher than that for a transistor, and that might be high for a modern low-power low-voltage IC designed to operate at 1.5V. You need to examine the ratings of each component (manufacturer's data sheets include max. ratings). Generation of heat (your "b" above) depends on current, substrate temperature and cooling in addition to voltage, so you need to rephrase your question in any case.

Tom Roberts

Green Xenon [Radium] wrote:
> What is the maximum voltage possible *without* doing any of the
> following to any extent?:
> 1. Exceeding the dielectric strength of any electronic component
> 2. Generating temperatures above 70 Fahrenheit in any electronic component
> 3. Ionizing any electronic component

Essentially zero Volts, if you truly want to handle any component. For
instance, given an "electronic component" consisting of 1 inch of no. 30
wire, an applied voltage of a few millivolts will induce several Amperes
to flow, causing the wire to overheat and perhaps explode.

It is pretty much impossible to establish the general sort of maximum
you seek. While dielectric strength is usually related to applied
voltage, heating is usually related to applied power, and ionization is
quite subtle (except inside vacuum tubes, it rarely occurs in ordinary
electronic systems)....


Tom Roberts