1.

Half-Wave Rectifier

Objectives Equipment Cat. No.

- The output voltage Vout(t) for an ohmic load Circuit elements:

1 Resistor 100 /2W 577 32
- The output voltage as a function of the load 1 Resistor 1 k/2W 577 44
capacitor 1 Resistor 10 k/0.5W 577 56
1 Electrolytic capacitor
- The output voltage as a function of the load
47 F/40 V 578 38
resistor
1 Electrolytic capacitor
- Determining the reverse voltage 100 F/40 V 578 39
1 Electrolytic capacitor
470 F/16 V 578 40
1 Si diode 1N4007 578 51

Measuring devices:
1 Two channel
oscilloscope 400 575 212

Power supply units:

1 Power supply unit 521 485

Accessories:
1 Plug-in board 297x300 726 50
1 Measuring cable BNC/4mm 575 24
1 Set of bridging plugs 19 mm 501 48
1 Set of connecting leads 501 532

Arguelles, Annelyn M. 2021-105819 ECE01L

 Exercise 1 : The output voltage Vout(t) for an ohmic load

Fig. 2.1

Assemble the circuit as shown in fig. 2.1 and apply an ac voltage of Vrms = 6 V, f = 50 Hz to
terminals 1 and 2.
Use channel 1 of the oscilloscope to measure the peak-to-peak value of the transformer voltage at
terminals 1 and 2.
Settings on the oscilloscope:
Y1 = 5 volts/div (DC)
t = 5 ms/div.
Transfer the graphs into the diagram in fig. 2.2 and determine the amplitude (peak value) VP,Tr and
the frequency f of the transformer voltage vTr(t).

Fig. 2.2

Arguelles, Annelyn M. 2021-105819 ECE01L

 VTr,P = 4.216 V

f = 50 Hz

Use the 2nd oscilloscope channel to measure the output voltage vout(t) and enter this into the
diagram in fig. 2.2. Determine the amplitude and the frequency of the output voltage.
Vout,P = 3.614 V

f = 50 Hz

The second of Kirchhoff’s Laws is used to calculate the output voltage:

VF : voltage across the diode
vout(t) = vTr(t) - VF
VTO : threshold voltage of the diode
VTO  0.7 V (Si diode)
Vout,P  VTr,P - VTO for vTr  VTO

Calculate the amplitude of the output voltage and compare the calculated value with the measured
value. Give reasons for any deviations which may occur.
Vout,P = 3.516 V

Deviations arise because of

a) Possible measurement inaccuracies

b) Entering wrong values or applications

Arguelles, Annelyn M. 2021-105819 ECE01L

 Exercise 2: The output voltage as a function of the load capacitor
Transfer the output voltage characteristic from fig. 2.2 into the diagram in fig. 2.3.

CAPACITANCE (F) Vout MAX (V) Vout MIN (V) RIPPLE OUTPUT (V)
10 -3.279 1.157 1.697× ��−�
47 4.209 3.567 3.611× ��−�
100 4.209 3.537 1.697× ��−�

Fig. 2.3

Connect the capacitors CL1 = 10 F, CL2 = 47 F and CL3 = 100 F (polarity must be correct) to
terminals 3 and 4 in fig. 2.1 (parallel to the load resistor) one after the other. Record the output
voltages vout(t) of the different capacitors on the oscilloscope and enter the characteristics into the
diagram in fig. 2.3. The capacitor connected directly to the output of the rectifier circuit is called the
load or smoothing capacitor.
Label the output voltages according to the appropriate capacitor.
Comment on the relationship between the ripple voltage at the output and the capacitance value of
the capacitor.
The capacitance value of the capacitor used for smoothing or filtering influences the
ripple voltage at the output of a circuit. While simulating the experiment, we discovered that
as the ripple voltage of the output lowers, so does the capacitance value of the capacitor.

Arguelles, Annelyn M. 2021-105819 ECE01L

Exercise 3: The output voltage as a function of the load resistor

Transfer the characteristic of the output voltage from fig. 2.2 into the diagram in fig. 2.4.

RESISTANCE (Ω) Vout MAX (V) Vout MIN (V) RIPPLE OUTPUT (V)
100 4.177 3. 453 3.611× ��−�
1K 4.209 3.567 3.611× ��−6
10K 4.173 3.632 3.611× ��−7

Fig. 2.4

Connect the capacitor CL = 47 F between the terminals 3 and 4 shown in fig. 2.1. Connect
the load resistors RL1 = 100 , RL2 = 1 k and RL3 = 10 k parallel to the capacitor one
after the other and display the corresponding output voltage on the oscilloscope.
Enter the graphs of the output voltage in the diagram (fig. 2.4) and label these.
Comment on the relation between the output voltage ripple and the load resistor value.
Give reasons for this.

The relationship between the output voltage ripple and the load resistor value is inversely proportional.
In other words, as the load resistor value increases, the output voltage ripple tends to decrease. When
the resistor values are changed, the current flowing through the capacitor drops. Surprisingly, this
modification leads in a greater ripple output voltage value.