How can the RC time constant be determined for a voltage multiplier circuit?

In a multiplier circuit which one side of the AC transformer output is in series with a 400K resistor, and the circuit is a 3 stage tripler containing 6 capacitors with a capacitance of 300nF each. What is the total time required to charge all capacitors?

Do you first figure the series ,or parallel total capacitance, and then times it by the total series resistance of 400K Ohms?

 

You may find the following link helpful to your original question:

http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/phys3bb3/thevenin.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thévenin's_theorem

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBASE/electric/thevenin.html

 

Are all 6 capacitors parallel connected, such that they all see the charging current equally? If so, then 1 TC = RxC = 0.72 sec. 5TC will give you 98% of the final charge voltage in 3.6 seconds. If there are other devices in the circuit using current, this figure will not be correct.

Cheers, DPW [ Spent years making heaters out of op-amps.]