Auctioneering Diodes: Pros and Cons

Auctioneering diodes are often proposed as a method for providing uninterruptible power to d.c. loads from two sources. Although the basic concept of auctioneering diodes is straight-forward, there are many nuances that should be understood before employing them. In particular, this paper discusses common-mode current issues with asymmetric auctioneering diode configurations as well as potential voltage doubling due to double ground faults in symmetric configurations. The design of snubbers and transient surge suppressors is also detailed.