TABLE OF CONTENTS by Glen Ballou
Power Supply. A device that supplies electrical power to another unit Power supplies obtain their prime power from the ac power line or from special power systems such as motor generators, inverters, and converters.
Rectifier. A device that passes current in only one direction. The rectifier consists of a positive anode and a negative cathode. When a positive voltage is applied to the anode of the rectifier, that voltage minus the voltage across the rectifier will appear on the cathode and current will flow. When a negative voltage is applied to the anode with respect to the cathode, the rectifier is turned off and only the rectifier leakage current will flow.
Forward Resistance. The resistance of an individual cell measured at a specified forward voltage drop or current.
Forward Voltage Drop. The internal voltage drop of a rectifier resulting from the current flow through the cell in the forward direction. The forward voltage drop is usually between 0.4 Vdc and 1.25 Vdc.
Reverse Resistance. The resistance of the rectifier measured at a specified reverse voltage or current. Reverse resistance is in megohms (M ?).
Reverse Current. The current flow in the reverse direction, usually in microamperes ( ?
