FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Objective:
To construct a full wave rectifier and show the rectification
of Alternating Components of Alternating Current (AC) into
a Direct Current (DC).

Introduction:
A full wave rectifier is a device which is used to rectify all
the alternating current components in an alternating
supply (AC) and make it purely a direct current (DC). 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

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such a replacement. So these rectifiers are used in most of
the electronic devices like TV’s, Radios, Chargers, and
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%

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 Material Required :

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 centre tape

transformer (230V Input 9V-0V-9V Output) , A

capacitor, A Resistor (1 K  ), P-N junction diodes,

Insulation tape, Blades, soldering wax, soldering

lead, soldering iron & sand paper.

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 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.

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 Details of the Materials Used:
Connecting wires and a plug  A normal insulated
copper wire able to withstand 230 – 250 v is required.

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.

A circuit board  A normal board of mica facilitated with

clips to simplify the connection.

Nuts ad bolt  In order to fix the board & transformer firmly.

Size 2 – 3 cm.

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.

A small box  To place the equipments safely.

A bulb  To test the output voltage.

Specification  2.2 –6 v / 9 V it will get ON application of A.C.

A 9V-0V-9V 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
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 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.

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 –

PARALLEL PLATE CAPACITOR

SPHERICAL CAPACITOR
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 capacitors
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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 90 0 .
The capacitor can be connected in 2 ways

1) In Series =

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 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.

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%

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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 R3 

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 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
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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. Light Emitting Diode
4. Photo Voltaic Cell

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

indicated the N side and the Black colouration the P
side.
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.

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Circuit Diagram:

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 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.

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 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
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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.

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RECTIFIED D.C VOLTAGE:

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 OBSERVATIONS:
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

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 Result:

A full Wave rectifier is

constructed & output voltage for
different output resistance is
measured and tabulated.

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 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

5) Website : www.yahoo.com

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