Zener diode specifications Voltage Vz: The Zener voltage refers to the reverse breakdown voltage—2.4 V to about 200 V; can go up to 1 kV while the maximum for the surface-mounted device (SMD) is about 47 V).
How much current comes from zener diode?
Current : The current, IZM, of a Zener diode is the maximum current that can flow through a Zener diode at its rated voltage, VZ. Typically there is also a minimum current required for the operation of the diode. As a rough rule of thumb, this can be around 5 to 10 mA for a typical leaded 400 mW device.
How do you find the voltage of a Zener diode?
Place the multimeter on a DC voltage setting. Measure the voltage across the diode by placing a multimeter lead on each terminal. It should read approximately 5.6 volts, though the value may be as low as 5.32 or as high as 5.88 volts. Note that the voltage between the battery and ground remains at 9 V.24 Apr 2017
What does a 12V zener diode do?
Zener Diodes can be used to produce a stabilised voltage output with low ripple under varying load current conditions. By passing a small current through the diode from a voltage source, via a suitable current limiting resistor (RS), the zener diode will conduct sufficient current to maintain a voltage drop of Vout.
How much power can a Zener diode handle?
Power rating: The maximum power the Zener diode can dissipate; given by the product of voltage across the diode and the current flowing through. Typical values are 400 mW, 500 mW, 1 W, and 5 W; for surface mounted, 200 mW, 350 mW, 500 mW, and 1 W are typical.
Can Zener diode be used as amplifier?
The Zener diode is therefore ideal for applications such as the generation of a reference voltage (e.g. for an amplifier stage), or as a voltage stabilizer for low-current applications. Another mechanism that produces a similar effect is the avalanche effect as in the avalanche diode.
What is the current through the Zener diode?
A Zener diode voltage regulator has load requirement of 16 V and 2 Amp. The diode's minimum current requirement is 2.5 A.
What is the most common use for a Zener diode?
voltage references
What is the purpose of the Zener diode?
A Zener diode permits Zener current, Iz, to flow when the voltage is above the specified Zener voltage. Thus, a Zener diode can be used for voltage detection by sensing Zener current with some other device.
How can a Zener diode be used as a voltage regulator?
Zener diodes are widely used as voltage references and as shunt regulators to regulate the voltage across small circuits. When connected in parallel with a variable voltage source so that it is reverse biased, a Zener diode conducts when the voltage reaches the diode's reverse breakdown voltage.
How do you choose a Zener diode?
When choosing the Zener diode voltage, it should be remembered that the emitter voltage will be lower than the Zener voltage by the amount of the base-emitter voltage about 0.6 volts for a silicon transistor.
Are all Zener diodes the same?
A Zener diode exhibits almost the same properties, except the device is specially designed so as to have a reduced breakdown voltage, the so-called Zener voltage. For example, a diode with a Zener breakdown voltage of 3.2 V exhibits a voltage drop of very nearly 3.2 V across a wide range of reverse currents.
How do you identify a Zener diode?
Zeners may be indistinguishable from regular diodes. Zener diodes may have a dark plastic casing with a dark stripe, which is the same coloring as that of other diodes. Many other zener diodes are copper colored, and are enclosed in a glass casing with a white or black or blue stripe.31 Aug 2009