Why different rectifier diode voltage ratings?
 

Another question resulting from too much time on my hands. Why do we
have rectifier diodes (e.g. 1N4xxx, 1N54xx) with different voltage
ratings? Other than the voltage rating I don't see any differences on
the data sheets I've looked at. Why not just make and use 1kv diodes
alone?

73,
Mike, KK6GM

Lower voltage rectifiers are easier to make and therefore cheaper. Further,
they have lower forward drop and are faster. No point in using too high a
rating if these other factors are worth considering.

Lower voltage rectifiers are easier to make and therefore cheaper. Further,
they have lower forward drop and are faster. No point in using too high a
rating if these other factors are worth considering.

the funnie this is that the $$$ diference is not seen at the costumers end.

do you realy care the the diode is 3 Cents more (making a 100$ project)from
the low votalge one.......(some stores some cases)

73's


--
http://www.qsl.net/sv1hao
"Bob" wrote in message
...
Lower voltage rectifiers are easier to make and therefore cheaper.
Further,
they have lower forward drop and are faster. No point in using too high a
rating if these other factors are worth considering.

the funnie this is that the $$$ diference is not seen at the costumers end.

do you realy care the the diode is 3 Cents more (making a 100$ project)from
the low votalge one.......(some stores some cases)

73's


--
http://www.qsl.net/sv1hao
"Bob" wrote in message
...
Lower voltage rectifiers are easier to make and therefore cheaper.
Further,
they have lower forward drop and are faster. No point in using too high a
rating if these other factors are worth considering.

the funnie this is that the $$$ diference is not seen at the costumers end.

do you realy care the the diode is 3 Cents more (making a 100$ project)from
the low votalge one.......(some stores some cases)

You might be surprised.

In fact, cost reduction is a *big* issue in the manufacture of many
(most?) consumer electronic products.

Look at it this way: if you save three cents on a single part, of
which only one is used in a $100 device... and you manufacture a
million of these devices per year... then you've saved $30,000 per
year. That's not chump-change.

If you can save $.03 per part, and you use ten of these parts per
device, and you manufacture a million units per year - then you've
just saved $300,000, which will cover the cost (salary and overhead)
of at least one good engineer.

Yes, my friend, big electronics companies _do_ care - a lot - about
shaving the pennies out of the bill-of-materials cost of the devices
they manufacture.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

the funnie this is that the $$$ diference is not seen at the costumers end.

do you realy care the the diode is 3 Cents more (making a 100$ project)from
the low votalge one.......(some stores some cases)

You might be surprised.

In fact, cost reduction is a *big* issue in the manufacture of many
(most?) consumer electronic products.

Look at it this way: if you save three cents on a single part, of
which only one is used in a $100 device... and you manufacture a
million of these devices per year... then you've saved $30,000 per
year. That's not chump-change.

If you can save $.03 per part, and you use ten of these parts per
device, and you manufacture a million units per year - then you've
just saved $300,000, which will cover the cost (salary and overhead)
of at least one good engineer.

Yes, my friend, big electronics companies _do_ care - a lot - about
shaving the pennies out of the bill-of-materials cost of the devices
they manufacture.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

Deos wrote:
the PROBLEM it that none of us own a big Company.
so it's better to stock up the shack with the best

Except that there's no one diode that is "the best" for everything,
and so you need more than one type of diode in your junk box.

--
Mike Andrews

Tired old sysadmin since 1964

Deos wrote:
the PROBLEM it that none of us own a big Company.
so it's better to stock up the shack with the best

Except that there's no one diode that is "the best" for everything,
and so you need more than one type of diode in your junk box.

--
Mike Andrews

Tired old sysadmin since 1964

the PROBLEM it that none of us own a big Company.
so it's better to stock up the shack with the best

I hate to be the one to break the news to you but the diode mfg
doesn't really care much about the 10 diodes you are going to buy -)
They are going to mfg what the big company wants to buy.