Project Ideas for 500mA 5kV HV Diodes?

[fuzzoli]

I acquired a handful of SCH5000 500mA 5kV high voltage diodes.  They're quite expensive little beasts. 

So...

Are there any useful project ideas out there for a part like this, perhaps part of a voltage multiplier to generate a few kV here and there?  I don't have a use for a HV voltage source at this time, but then again, you never know!

Let the comments begin!

[PartialDischarge]

Id say they are quite cheap, r5000f is 0,3€ at mouser.
Why did you buy them if there is no use for them?

[fuzzoli]

Why did you buy them if there is no use for them?

I found two ESD cabinets at a garage sale and the drawers were full of all sorts of parts -- zeners, transistors of all flavors, etc.  The purchase was for the cabinets -- the parts were just a bonus.  My next post will be to solicit ideas for 800 metal can 2N2222's. ;-)

[oPossum]

Build this...

[NiHaoMike]

If you have one of those electric fly swatters (that struggles with larger insects), add a small camera flash board and connect it to the mesh (in parallel with the existing supply) with one of those diodes and a 330 ohm or so 2W power resistor in line. The 1-2kV from the existing supply would break through the outer shell of the insect allowing the 300V or so from the flash capacitor to finish the job. The resistor limits the peak current to a value that the diode should handle easily.

My next post will be to solicit ideas for 800 metal can 2N2222's. ;-)

Build a clock based on discrete components for logic. Might be easier if you use a 32.768kHz oscillator module rather than try to make an accurate oscillator using a discrete crystal.

[Doctorandus_P]

It's the wrong way around.

First find a project that interests you, then get the parts that fit that project.

[CaptDon]

They look like microwave oven diodes. Even though they are only rated at 500ma.
They could probably make a nice 2kv plate supply for amateur radio vacuum tube R.F. amplifier.

[T3sl4co1l]

Slow recovery -- no good for flyback/resonant supplies, for the most part.  Need a big old mains-frequency transformer, or audio frequency anyway.  Not really enough for much sparky high voltage stuff, unless you have a bunch to put in series, and an old school neon sign transformer to power it.

Would be fine for tube amps yeah, but be extremely careful around that much DC plus beefy caps backing it up.  And, not a cheap project, tubes and sockets aren't cheap unless you already have some, plus the power transformer, output transformer(s) for audio, or coils and caps for RF, plus, well, the license you need to actually put the thing on the air (not so much expensive, as something you need to get).

Tim