AdvancedA-004-001-005
For a given transformer the maximum output voltage available from a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit will be:
C
Answer
Measurements and troubleshooting
Type
A
the same as the full-wave centre-tap rectifier
B
the same as the half-wave rectifier
C
double that of the full-wave centre-tap rectifier
D
half that of the full-wave centre-tap rectifier
Answer Notes
In a full-wave centre-tap rectifier, the circuit relies on a centre tap to act as a common ground, meaning the load only ever sees half of the secondary winding's voltage at any given time (from one end to the centre tap).
A full-wave bridge rectifier uses four diodes to route current such that the load receives the full voltage across the entire secondary winding, from end to end, during both halves of the cycle.
Because the bridge rectifier utilizes the full end-to-end secondary voltage rather than just half of it, its maximum output voltage is exactly double that of a centre-tap rectifier connected to the exact same transformer.
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A full-wave bridge rectifier circuit makes use of both halves of the AC cycle, but unlike the full-wave centre-tap rectifier circuit it does not require:
Next · A-004-001-006
The ripple frequency produced by a full-wave power supply connected to a normal household circuit is: