Whats the best way to limit current?

Question

Hi everyone. I'm rectifying the AC from my house (making my high frequency DC plasma cutter) so I'm concerned about a sudden surge of current and its implications.

I like electronics as a hobby so I'm not a pro, but I can assure all of you I take the proper safety precautions.

Someone suggested to me an isolation transformer and another a used microwave transformer as an inductor or the same triac/relay setup as the microwave oven has.

I'm on a budget so a variac is out of the question for now.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Use fuses. Put one in the AC line, and others in your DC circuit. If fuses blow frequently, you can investigate active current limiting or take other steps.

Make sure you use a high enough voltage rating on the fuses.

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