Zeners As Rectifiers

mrfeedback · 27th November 2002, 02:23 PM

Todays brainwave - why not use appropriately rated Zener diodes as rectifiers ?.
Anybody tried this and what results ?.

Eric.

tiroth · 27th November 2002, 02:28 PM

Disadvantage: more noise

Advantage: ???

Why?

UrSv · 27th November 2002, 02:31 PM

Exsqueese me but what on earth for?

Only way would that not be to use Zeners that have a zener voltage higher than your maximum reverse voltage and then some? Otherwise would they not conduct both directions and discharge the caps they really should be charging? God knows what would happen...

There are so many sweet diodes out there like standard, schottky and what have you. Why Zeners?

/UrSv

PS. If anybody is afraid of switching noice then why double it?

peranders · 27th November 2002, 02:53 PM

What is the real difference really? Lower reverse voltage breakdown, but what else? OK, zeners are a little bit different, the doping(*) is more, in order to get lower breakdown voltage.

(*)I mean put material into the silicone as a "polution".

Jeff R · 28th November 2002, 01:48 AM

I think they are a lot slower, i.e. more capacitance, so their use as rectifiers would not be good as compared to a diode designed for use as a rectifier.

OddOne · 28th November 2002, 03:33 AM

You'd be better off with some decent high-current fast recovery diodes, with bypass caps across them to dampen the little bit of noise that'll come off the junctions when they start to conduct.

oO

27th November 2002, 02:23 PM	#1
mrfeedback diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Perth, Australia.	Zeners As Rectifiers Todays brainwave - why not use appropriately rated Zener diodes as rectifiers ?. Anybody tried this and what results ?. Eric.

27th November 2002, 02:53 PM	#4
peranders Electrons are yellow and more is better! diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Blog Entries: 4	What is the real difference really? Lower reverse voltage breakdown, but what else? OK, zeners are a little bit different, the doping() is more, in order to get lower breakdown voltage. ()I mean put material into the silicone as a "polution". __________________ /Per-Anders (my first name) or P-A as my friends call me

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27th November 2002, 02:28 PM	#2
tiroth diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA	Disadvantage: more noise Advantage: ??? Why?

27th November 2002, 02:31 PM	#3
UrSv diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sweden	Exsqueese me but what on earth for? Only way would that not be to use Zeners that have a zener voltage higher than your maximum reverse voltage and then some? Otherwise would they not conduct both directions and discharge the caps they really should be charging? God knows what would happen... There are so many sweet diodes out there like standard, schottky and what have you. Why Zeners? /UrSv PS. If anybody is afraid of switching noice then why double it?

28th November 2002, 01:48 AM	#5
Jeff R diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Florida	I think they are a lot slower, i.e. more capacitance, so their use as rectifiers would not be good as compared to a diode designed for use as a rectifier.

28th November 2002, 03:33 AM	#6
OddOne diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Earth	You'd be better off with some decent high-current fast recovery diodes, with bypass caps across them to dampen the little bit of noise that'll come off the junctions when they start to conduct. oO

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