Can you charge multiple capacitors simultaneously?

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SUMMARY

Charging multiple capacitors simultaneously is feasible when they are connected in parallel, as demonstrated in power supply circuits. In these setups, large electrolytic capacitors are used alongside smaller ceramic capacitors to provide energy storage across various frequency ranges. The charging and discharging behavior of each capacitor branch is influenced by their respective RC time constants, especially when resistors isolate them from the charging source.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of RC circuits
  • Knowledge of capacitor types (electrolytic and ceramic)
  • Familiarity with frequency response in electrical circuits
  • Basic principles of parallel circuit configurations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of RC time constants on capacitor charging
  • Explore the role of resistors in isolating capacitor branches
  • Learn about frequency response in power supply circuits
  • Investigate the benefits of using multiple capacitor types in parallel
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Electrical engineers, circuit designers, and students studying electronics who are interested in capacitor configurations and their applications in power supply systems.

laclry311
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TL;DR
Can you charge multiple capacitors simultaneously?
What if you put two RC circuits in parallel?
 
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Sure, multiple capacitors are hooked in parallel all the time in circuits, and they get charged and discharged at the same time in parallel. A good example is at the output of a power supply circuit, where you will typically parallel "bulk" electrolytic capacitors (large value) and several smaller ceramic high frequency capacitors. That gives energy storage across a range of frequencies (low frequencies for the large "bulk" caps, and higher frequency decoupling by the smaller value ceramic caps).

If the capacitors are isolated from the charging source by resistors, then each branch will charge and discharge according to their RC time constants.

Does that help? :smile:
 
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