PROJECT REPORT

ON

FULL WAVE
RECTIFIER

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

PARMVIR SINGH
ROLLNO.18
A FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Aim :

To construct a full wave rectifier and show that the

Alternating Components are rectified into a direct current.

Introduction :

A full wave rectifier is a device which is used to rectify all the

alternating current components in an alternating supply and make
it purely a direct current. The two alternating halves of an
alternation current are rectified in a full wave rectifier which is an
advantage over a half wave rectifier. Most electronic devices
cannot withstand very high voltage or alternating current due to its
intense high power. The use of batteries in all devices is not
practical as their replacement and durability is a huge problem as
the device has to be dismantled each time for such a replacement.
So these rectifiers are used in most of the electronic devices like
TV’s, Radios, Chargers, Lightings etc. There are several stages in
a rectifier. Based on their rectification they are classified into two.
The single staged & multi staged.
In the multi staged rectifiers, more than two diodes are used and
these are used in the above-mentioned devices. The singled staged
rectifier has only 2 diodes, the one we are to discuss in this project.
The multi diode rectifier has only 2 diodes, the one we are to
discuss in this project. The multi diode rectifiers has an efficiency
~ 94.6% while that of the single is only 81.2%
Theory involved

The input transformer steps down the A.C mains from 230V
(nominal) to 6V between the center tap and either of the two ends
of the secondary winding. The transformer has a capability of
delivering a current of 500 mA. The 6V A.C appearing across the
secondary is the RMS value of the waveform and peak value
would be 6 2  8.4volts. The diodes rectify the A.C waveform
appearing across the secondary with the help of alternate forward
and reverse biasing. The capacitor further filters 99% of the
resident components and this is let to pass through the resistance
and emerges out as +ve and –ve. The bulb connected verifies the
output as it works on Direct Current and if used on an Alternating
Current, the fluctuation will burn out the bulb.
Materials required in the construction :

Connecting wires, a plug, single lead wire - 2m, 3 – nuts & Bolts
of 2 to 3 cm length, Circuit board of mica, a small box to place the
model, a transformer, A capacitor, A Resistor (1 K  ), P-N junction
diodes, Insulation tape, Blades, soldering wax, soldering lead,
soldering iron & sand paper.

Details of the materials used 

i) Connecting wires and a plug  A normal insulated copper

wire able to withstand 230 – 250 v is required.

ii) Single lead wire  Thin wire with one single strand of
copper well Insulated and able to conduct a current of 1
ampere or a D.C current efficiently.

iii) A circuit board  A normal board of mica facilitated with

clips to simplify the connection.
iv) Nuts ad bolt  In order to fix the board & transformer
firmly.
Size 2 – 3 cm.

v) Soldering wax & lead  The wires are to be soldered

firmly to make the connection tight so for this a thin lead
wire is required to affix the connections and wax to make
the lead to hold on when soldered.

vi) A small box  To place the equipments safely.

vii) A bulb  To test the output voltage whether Direct or not.

Specification  2.2 –6 v it will get burnt on
application of A.C.

viii) A 6-0-6 transformer

Transformer is a device used to change the voltage of an

alternating current. The transformer which converts low voltage
to high voltage is called a step up transformer whereas the one
which converts high voltage to low voltage is called a step down
transformer. It consists of a laminated core consisting of two
 coils, a primary & a secondary coil. In a step up the number of
turns in the secondary is greater that that of the primary and the
reverse in a step down transformer. Here we use a step down
transformer which steps down 230V to 6V between the
secondary terminals and the center tap.

ix) A CAPACITOR 

The ability of a metal to store electric charges measures the

capacitances of a conductor. It provides high impedance to
Alternating Current and stores them while all the D.C
components are let to pass. There are different types of
capacitors –

a) PARALLEL PLATE CAPACITOR

b) SPHERICAL CAPACITOR
c) CYLINDRICLAL CAPACITOR

Here we deal with a Cylindrical Capacitor. It consists of two

coaxial conducting cylindrical shells. Due to attraction between
unlike charges, the charges spread out uniformly and thus it gets
charged. Capacitance is measured in it  Farads. The reactance a
 1
capacitors offers to A.C. Current is = c, where  is the
frequency of the supply.

It does not dissipate any power & the energy stored in it equal to ½
CV2 . In a capacitor Voltage does not change instantaneously. It
leads current & voltage by an angle different of 900 .

The capacitor can be connected in 2 ways

1) In Series =
1 1 1 1 
     .....
 C C1 C 2 C 3 
&
2) In Parallel =
(C = C1 + C2 + C3 ……)

Here we use capacitor of 1000 F & 25 v.

x) A Resistor 

A resistor is an electronic components whose resistance value

tells us about the opposition it offers to the flow of electric
current. Resistance is measured in ohms (  ).

We determine the value of a resistor using the colour coding on

the rings of the resistor –
 1. Black - 0 6. Green - 5
2. Brown –1 7. Blue - 6
3. Red -2 8. Violet - 7
4. Orange – 3 9. Grey - 8
5. Yellow – 4 10. White - 9

Tolerance 
Gold -  5%
Silver -  10%
Colourless -  20%

Measurement 

1st Colour- 1st digit

2nd Colour - 2nd digit
3rd Colour - Power to 10
4th Colour- Tolerance

For Eg: For a resistor of colour code – brown, black, green &
gold.
The resistance value is 10  105  5%
Here we use a single resistor of Brown, Red, Red & Gold colour
rings.
Its Value = 12  102  5%

Resistance can be connected in 2 ways –

In series,
R = (R1 + R2 + R3 …..)
&
In Parallel
1 1 1 1 
     ..... 
 R R1 R 2 R 3 

xi) P-N junction Diodes 

When one side of a semiconductor crystal (Germanium or

silicon) is doped with acceptor impurity atoms and the other
side with donor impurity atoms a P-N junction is formed. It is
also called a semiconductor or crystal diode. When diffusion of
the two regions occur a resultant potential barrier is created
between the two sides due to migration of electrons and holes.
When the diode is connected with P side to positive terminal of
a battery & N side to –ve terminal it is said to be forward biased
& reverse biased when reversed. In forward biasing the applied
positive potential repels the holes and turns a current is made to
flow overcoming the Internal potential Barrier. While in reverse
biasing the –ve electrons 1st attract the holes and widen the
Barrier and then only the repulsion between the inner electrons
occur and current flows. So theoretically no current flows
through due to the widening of the Potential barrier but
practically a very small current does flows through.

Different types of diodes are present –

1. Zener diode
2. P-N junction diode
3. LED
4. LAD
5. Solar cell

Here we use a P-N junction diode. The grayish ring indicated

the N side and the Black colouration the P side.
 xii) Finally, small equipments such as a soldering iron to solder
the lead, Blades, holders, insulation tapes – to insulate the
wire from shocking and sand paper – to rub the oxidized
wire ends are used.

Circuit diagram

Connection details

Connections are done as in the circuit. The A.C. supply is

given to both the input wires of the transformer and the two
ends of the secondary coil is given to the P side of the two
diodes and the N side of the diodes are twined and then
connected to one end of the capacitor and the other end to the
center tap lead and to the resistor. Further, the other end of
capacitor with the diode connection is connected to the other
end of the resistor . Connect 2 leads on both the ends of the
resistor to measure the output and this is connected to the
+ve & -ve terminals of the bulb.
Working

1st when the A.C. is supplied to the transformer, it steps down

the 230V main supply to 6 volts. It has a capability of
delivering a current of 500mA. The 6 volts A.C. appearing
across the secondary is the RMS valur and the peak value is
6 2 or 8.4 volts. During the 1st half cycle of the A.C. input
Diode D1 is forward biased and a current ‘I’ flows in the
circuit in the direction S1D1ABEOS1. During this time diode
D2 is reverse biased. So it does not conduct any electric
current. During the next half cycle the diode D2 is forward
and D1 is reversed. Hence D2 conducts current in the
direction S2D2ABEOS2 and D1 does not conduct any
current. In subsequent half cycles of the A.C current the
above processes are repeated. In both the half cycles it is
clear that current flows through the resistor in only one
direction ABE. Even though the voltage across RL is
 unidirectional it will still contain a few A.C components. This
is filtered and made smooth using a capacitor, which filters
99% of the A.C current. A resistor is then used to adjust the
output voltage. We can then test the o/p Voltage using a multi-
meter.

Efficiency of Rectification -

 = D.C power output

Total A.C input power

For a half wave rectifier,  ~ 0.406 = 40.6 %

For a full wave rectifier, the one used here is  ~ 0.812 =
81.2 %

By the use of more number of diodes the efficiency can be

increase to a maximum of 94.6%. Here we only use 2 diodes.
The use of multiple capacitors also nearly filters all A.C
components from the supply and resistance is adjusted for the
required output. As this is a simple circuit, only one capacitor
and a resistance is being used. But there will be slight factor
of A.C. current still left in the output but it is negligible.
RECTIFIED D.C VOLTAGE
OBSERVATION:

Capacitance (C) ( Resistance (R) (K Output Voltage

 F) ) (DC)
1000 580 15.03
1000 259.6 13.51
1000 661.6 14.69
1000 563.6 14.68

Result:
A full Wave rectifier is constructed & output voltage for
different output resistance is measured and tabulated.

BIBILIOGRAPHY
1) Electronic projects for beginners by A.K Manini
2) Comprehensive physics (class_XIIth , NCERT based)
3) Comprehensive practical physics
4) NCERT based CBSE text for XIIth