The Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

Author: J.B. Hoag

Fig. 11 D. Full-wave bridge rectifier

In Fig. 11 D, when the upper end of the transformer's secondary is positive, the current flows through tube 1, through the load R and then through tube 2, in the conventional sense. During the opposite half-cycle, the flow is through tube 4, through R, and then through tube 3. Note that it is in the same direction through R in both half-cycles. All of the transformer's voltage is used each half-cycle, but four tubes are used instead of the two in the full-wave center-tap rectifier. The inverse-peak-voltage is equal to the maximum transformer voltage. The ripple frequency is 120 for a 60-cycle supply.