Experiment #12: Rectifiers I

EE354, Spring 2011

Overview
In this session, you will study single-phase rectifiers. The single-phase rectifier is of fundamental
importance in low-power converters.

We will be using transformer “boxes” with an internal circuit shown in Fig. 1. These are delta-wye three-
phase transformer sets with rated primary voltage of 208 V and rated secondary of 28 V. We only need
one of the three transformers: primary L1-L2, secondary A-N.

Because there are dangerous potentials involved, ask the instructor to review your circuit before
applying power.

Pre-Lab
1. Sketch the current you expect to measure in steps 3, 4, and 5.
2. Determine the maximum load current allowable with this diode (1N4007) in the half-wave and
full-wave configurations. Why are we using this device instead of one of the diodes we have
used previously?
3. Why do we need to use a differential probe?

Experimental Procedure
L1 F2 S A
S2
CT

F1

F
S1

L2 F2 S B
S2
CT

F1

F
S1

L3 F2 S C
S2
CT

F1

F
S1
N
Fig. 1. Transformer box internal schematic.
1. Build the half-wave rectifier circuit shown in Fig. 2. The primary connects to the three-phase
source on the rack, through a variac. Use the safety-rated banana jack cables for the primary.
The secondary is at a (relatively) safe potential, so it uses standard banana jacks.
2. Connect the following probes: a current probe on the transformer secondary, a differential
voltage probe on the transformer secondary, and a standard voltage probe on the load resistor.
Also, connect the bench multimeter to measure RMS AC voltage on the transformer secondary.
3. With the variac turned all the way down, turn on the three-phase power. Increase the variac
output to 208 V. Record the RMS AC voltage on the secondary and save a waveform. Then turn
down the variac and turn off the three-phase power.
4. Now add an output capacitor as shown in Fig. 3. Repeat step 3. Also measure the output ripple
voltage (RMS) by changing the coupling to AC.
5. Now build a full-wave rectifier as shown in Fig. 4. Repeat step 3. Also measure the output ripple
voltage (RMS) by changing the coupling to AC.
6. The purpose of this step is to measure the load regulation of the full-wave rectifier. Replace the
load resistor with the electronic load. Set it initially to the same resistance you used in step 5.
Set the scope to measure the RMS output voltage ripple and use the electronic load to measure
the DC output voltage. Bring the variac voltage up to 208 V and record the average output
voltage. Then record at least 5 operating points between 25 Ω and 250 Ω. In your report,
provide a graph of output voltage vs. load power, the percent load regulation, and a graph of
output voltage ripple vs. load.

Fig. 2 Fig. 3

Fig. 4. Full-wave rectifier.