by pebe » Sun Feb 23, 2014 7:04 pm
First, let me correct my error. The size of the cap should have been 220µF, or preferably 470µF.
The reasoning is this. At the beginning of the pulse, the cap is discharged. When the pulse arrives the cap will start to charge via the 560ohm resistor. The voltage across it will rise exponentially with time and the final charge would be 6V. But it will only be charging for 10ms and by that time we want the voltage to have increased to no more than 1.5V, so the SSR won't fire. To get to that voltage in 10mS means the time constant (T) needs to be 50ms.
The time constant (T) is given by C x R, where C is in microfarads and R is in megohms. and T is in seconds. So CR= T =50ms. Transposing for C gives C = 50ms/R. I had taken R as 560 but R is actually the input impedance of the voltage source, and that is the 560ohms resistor and the 560ohms input resistance in parallel., which is 280ohms.
So the capacity C will work out at 0.05sec/0.000280megohms = 178.5µF. The minimum practical value is 220µF, but 470µF would be better. C could be any elecrolytic, but preferably could be a low ESR type
I hope that answers your question.