Inductors: DC vs AC Current for Buyers

[powzoom]

I'm looking to buy some inductors, axial or radial ones. What I need to know is the difference between measured dc current and ac current. Modeled in multisim, the max dc current through the inductor is about 1mA but the max ac current approaches 1A. I know inductors have max current values, so do I use the 1mA or the 1A to decide which one to buy?

 

[berkeman]

I'm looking to buy some inductors, axial or radial ones. What I need to know is the difference between measured dc current and ac current. Modeled in multisim, the max dc current through the inductor is about 1mA but the max ac current approaches 1A. I know inductors have max current values, so do I use the 1mA or the 1A to decide which one to buy?

You generally want to keep your inductors out of saturation, both for DC and AC. So use the bigger number.

 

[LURCH]

Ooops! I thought this thread was about "moron inducters."

^{*Quietly slips out*}

 

[berkeman]

You generally want to keep your inductors out of saturation, both for DC and AC. So use the bigger number.

I need to clarify this a bit (thank you to user Phrak for the tip)...

To keep the inductor from saturating, you need to size it to handle the biggest PEAK current that it will experience in operation. That may be a combination of the AC and DC currents, depending on their relative sizes and offsets.

Looks like I was the inductor moron...