Welding inverter is an alternative to a conventional welding transformer. Modern semiconductors allow to replace the traditional mains transformer with a
switching power supply, which is much lighter, smaller and allows easy current adjustment via a potentiometer. The advantege is
also that the output current is DC. DC current is less dangerous than AC and prevents arc extinction.
For this inverter i chose topology, which is the most common in welding inverters - forward converter with two switches.
In my article about switchning supplies it is a topology II.D.
Input mains voltage passes through an EMI filter and is smoothed with high capacity capacitors. Since the inrush current of those capacitors would be too high,
there's a softstart circuit. After switching ON, the primary smoothing capacitors are charging via resistors, which are later bypassed
by the contact of a relay. As power switches, IGBT transistors IRG4PC40W are used.
They are driven through a forward gate-drive transformer TR2 and shaping circuits with BC327 PNP transistors.
The control integrated circuit is UC3844. It's similar to UC3842, but it has its pulse-width limited to 50%. Working frequency is 42kHz.
Control circuit is powered by an auxiliary power supply of 17V.
Current feedback, due to high currents, is using a current transformer Tr3. Voltage drop accros the sensing resistor 4R7/2W is approximately proportional to the output current.
Output current can be controlled by potentiometer P1, which determines the threshold of the current feedback. Threshold voltage of the pin 3 of UC3844 (current sensing) is 1V.
Power semiconductors require cooling. Most of the heat is dissipated in output diodes. Upper diode, consisting of 2x DSEI60-06A, must in worst
case handle the average current of 50A and the dissipation of 80W (total of both diodes).
Lower diode STTH200L06TV1 (doube diode package with both internal diodes connected in parallel) must in worst
case handle an average current of 100A and the dissipation of nearly 120W. Maximum total dissipation of the secondary rectifier is 140W. The heatsink must be able to handle it.
To the thermal resistance you must include the junction-case Rth, case-sink Rth and sink-ambient Rth.
DSEI60-06A diodes don't have insulation pads and the cathode is connected to the the heatsink. Output choke L1 is therefore in the negative rail. It
is advantageous because in this configuration, there's no high-frequency voltage on the heatsink.
You can use another type of diodes, for example a parallel combination of a sufficient number of the most accessible diodes,
such as MUR1560 or FES16JT. Note that the maximum average current of the lower diode is twice the current of the upper diode.
Calculation of the power dissipation of the
IGBTs is more complicated because in addition to conductive losses there are also switching losses. Loss of each transistor is up to about 50W.
It is also necessary to cool the reset diodes UG5JT and the mains bridge rectifier. The power dissipation of the reset diodes depends on the construction of Tr1
(inductance, stray inductance), but is much lower than the dissipation of the IGBTs. The rectifier bridge has a power dissipation of up to about 30W.
UG5JT diodes and the rectifying bridge are placed on the same heatsink as the IGBTs. UG5JT diodes
also can be replaced with MUR1560 or FES16JT or other ultrafast diodes.
During construction it is also necessary to decide the maximum loading factor of the welding inverter, and accordingly select size of heatsinks, winding gauges and so on.
It is also good to add a fan.
Switching transformer Tr1 is wound on two ferrite EE cores, each with a central column cross section 16x20mm. The total cross section is therefore
16x40mm, the core must have no air gap. 20 turns primary winding is wound using 14 wires of a 0.5 mm diamater. It would be better to use 20 wires, but they
didn't fit into my core.
Secondary winding has 6 turns of a copper strip (36 x 0.5 mm). Forward gate-drive transformer Tr2 is made with an emphasis on low stray inductance. It is trifillary wound,
using three twisted insulated wires of 0.3 mm diameter, and all the windings have 14 turns. Core is made of material H22, middle column has a diameter of 16mm, with no gaps.
Current sensing transformer Tr3 is made from an EMI suppression choke on a toroidal core. The original winding with 75 turns of 0.4 mm wire works as a secondary.
Primary has just 1 turn. Polarity of all the transformer windings must be kept (see dots in schematic)!
L1 inductor has a ferrite EE core, middle column has cross section 16x20mm. It has 11 turns of a copper strip (36 x 0.5mm) and the total air gap in the magnetic circuit is 10mm.
Its inductance is cca 12uH.
The auxiliary 17V switching power supply, including Tr4, is described in more detail
here.
The simplest welding inverter on Pic 1 has no voltage feedback. Voltage feedback does not affect the welding, but affects the power consumption and heat losses in the idle state.
Without the output voltage feedback there is quite high output voltage (approximately 100V)
and the PWM controller ia running at its max duty cycle, thereby increasing the power consumption and heating of components.
Therefore, it is better to implement the voltage feedback. You can inspire on Pic 2. The feedback can be connected directly because the controll circuit is
isolated from mains. The reference voltage is 2.5V. Select the R2 to set the open circuit voltage.
You can find useful info in datasheet of UC3842, 3843, 3844, 3845 or in its another datasheet.
Inspiration for modifications you can also find in 3-60V 40A supply.
Interesting links from which I drew:
http://svarbazar.cz/phprs/index.php?akce=souvis&tagid=3
http://leo.wsinf.edu.pl/~leszek/spawarki/
http://www.y-u-r.narod.ru/Svark/svark.htm
http://www.emil.matei.ro/weldinv3.php
http://nexor.electrik.org/svarka/barmaley/kosoy/shema.gif
and a little modified: http://nexor.electrik.org/svarka/barmaley/kosoy1/shema.gif
Patched Photoshop can appear heroic: free access, quick fixes, and restored features. But like a dark vigilante, it operates outside the law and order of official software, taking shortcuts that endanger bystanders (your data, clients, and collaborators). The patched program “saves” a user once — then slowly degrades trust and system integrity.
“Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended The Dark Knight Patched” is not an official product. It is a remnant of early 2010s software piracy, named for a Batman film, that enabled users to bypass a $1000 license. While technically functional at the time, today it poses serious security risks (malware, keyloggers), compatibility issues with modern OS/hardware, and legal gray areas.
If you find an old CD or ISO of this release, do not run it on a machine connected to the internet. Instead, explore modern, affordable, or free alternatives like Affinity Photo, GIMP, or even Adobe’s own monthly subscription (which includes generative AI and cloud storage).
The “Dark Knight” may have been the hero Gotham deserved, but a patched, cracked Photoshop is not the hero your computer needs.
The phrase " Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended The Dark Knight Patched
" refers to a specific, widely distributed "cracked" or pirated version of the software that became infamous in the early 2010s. Here is the story behind this particular release: The Digital "Dark Knight" In the era of Creative Suite 5.1 (CS5.1)
, Adobe still used a traditional perpetual licensing model rather than the modern Creative Cloud subscription. This made it a prime target for "Scene" groups—underground collectives that raced to bypass software protections. The Origin
: This specific version was likely "repacked" and uploaded by a user or group using the moniker " The Dark Knight adobe photoshop cs51 extended the dark knight patched
" or a variation of it. In the world of unauthorized software, these groups often added their own branding to installers. The "Patch"
: The "Patched" designation indicated that the core executable (often amtlib.dll
) had already been modified. Unlike standard versions that required a manual "crack" after installation, this version was designed to be "pre-activated," making it exceptionally popular for its ease of use. The Legacy
: Because it was one of the most stable and easily accessible versions of Photoshop CS5.1 Extended, it spread rapidly through file-sharing sites and Google Drive links. For many young designers in the 2010s, this was their first introduction to professional photo editing tools. Why "The Dark Knight"?
While the name was likely a nod to the 2008 Batman film, it also served as a "brand" in the pirate community. Users often sought out this specific version because it was known to be: : It included the
features, such as 3D tools and image analysis, which were normally restricted to more expensive tiers. Simplified
: It bypassed the complex Adobe activation servers, which have since been shut down for older versions like CS3 and CS4. The Current State Patched Photoshop can appear heroic: free access, quick
Today, searching for this specific string usually leads to old forums or archived download links. However, Adobe has officially moved on: End of Life
: All Creative Suite products reached "end of life" in 2019 and are no longer supported. Compatibility
: Older versions like CS5.1 often struggle with modern operating systems like Windows 11 without using specialized compatibility modes. Are you looking to troubleshoot an old installation of CS5.1, or are you interested in modern alternatives that offer similar 3D features? Trying to Install Photoshop CS3 on PC - Adobe Community
The phrase "Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended The Dark Knight Patched" appears to refer to a specific, unofficial repack or "portable" version of the legacy Photoshop CS5.1 software that has been modified (patched) by third-party groups. While "The Dark Knight" is not an official Adobe product name, it is a common moniker used in the software modification community for pre-activated or themed versions of the program.
Below is a blog post covering the features of this specific version and the context of its "patched" nature. Classic Power: Revisiting Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended Exploring the Legacy of the "Dark Knight" Patched Edition
If you’ve been scouring the web for a lightweight, high-performance version of Photoshop, you’ve likely come across the "Dark Knight" patched version of Adobe Photoshop CS5.1 Extended. Though it’s a legacy release, this specific version remains a cult favorite for users on older hardware or those who prefer a streamlined, "no-nonsense" experience. What Makes CS5.1 Extended Unique?
Released originally as part of the Creative Suite 5.5 cycle, CS5.1 Extended was the pinnacle of Adobe’s "pre-subscription" era. Unlike the standard version, the Extended edition unlocked a suite of professional tools that are still useful today: Where can I download Photoshop CS5.1 Extended Edition? Final step: Filter > Noise > Add Noise → 1
This brings us to the third and most loaded word in our keyword: "Patched."
In software preservation and piracy circles, "patched" refers to a cracked executable—a modified .exe (Windows) or framework (macOS) that bypasses Adobe’s activation servers. But it’s not just piracy. The word also implies post-crack fixes: community-made patches that addressed bugs Adobe ignored.
Between 2011 and 2013, a legendary scene group—often named after Batman characters (e.g., "Ra’s al Ghul Cracking Crew" or "Joker’s Patch Factory")—released multiple versions of CS5.1 Extended tailored specifically for The Dark Knight fandom.
To understand the keyword, we must first understand the tool. By 2011, Adobe had solidified its reign over the creative industry. Photoshop CS5 (version 12.0) launched in April 2010, introducing game-changers like Content-Aware Fill, the Mixer Brush, and Puppet Warp.
But six months later, Adobe dropped CS5.1 (version 12.1) . This was unusual—Adobe rarely released "point-one" upgrades unless significant changes were needed. CS5.1 arrived for two reasons:
The "Extended" distinction matters for our keyword because The Dark Knight fan community was obsessed with 3D anaglyph (red/blue) posters and extruded Bat-logos. Only CS Extended could import 3D models of Gotham City’s skyline or render depth maps for lenticular prints.
