Simple and Small Full-bridge-rectifier

In this instructables I show you how tu build a super simple full bridge rectifier.

If you have an AC power supply, but you need a DC Voltage, you can simply take this rectifier, connect it to your AC power supply and you are done.

Also: If you´ve already earned some skills You don´t need to follow the steps in the exact sequence. I´ve uploaded the schematic to allow skilled people to design the board on their own.

Step 1: Things You Need

Parts:

2 screw connectors

solder

a 1000µF capacitor

a small piece of perfboard

and a bridge rectifier

Tools:

soldering iron

pliers

screwdriver

Step 2: The Schematic

The schematic is quite simple just make sure you connect the capacitor the right way arround otherwise it may burst.

Step 3: The Output

Take your connector and solder it to one end of the perfboard.

Now take your capacitor and solder it parallel to the connector.

Step 4: The Rectifier

Take your bridge rectifier and put it next to the capacitor. Make sure that the + and the - output are parallel to the pins of the capacitor.

If you use an electrolytic capacitor, doublecheck the polarity.

Now bend the wires of the bridge rectifer as shown in the pictures.

After bending the wires solder the output wires of the bridge rectifier to the capacitor and the screw connector like shown on the pictures.

Step 5: The Input

Now take your second connector and place it next to the bridge rectifier and solder it in place.

After that it is easy to connect the wires of the rectifier to the pins of the connector. Just make sure, the two wires don't touch each other!

Now you are done !

Now you can easily connect an AC power source to the input of your rectifier and you will have DC on the output.

Comments

[LaserDave]

Just a quick comment to point out that there is a minor error in your schematic.

The positive (+) output of the bridge rectifier goes to the negative (-)
side of your capacitor. A simple enough error to make, and even easier
to correct in your schematic. (Just move the '+' to the capacitor's
bottom conductor, or flip the capacitor symbol vertically)

This is a great 'ible that will be helpful to many beginners of electronics, but this small error could be problematic for them.

- - - Edit - - -

Also,
the capacitor specified in the schematic and in the Parts List is
"100uF", which seems to contradict the 1,000uF you've used on your
board. Choosing a 1,000uF capacitor would be a much better choice in
most cases, in addition to reducing the ripple, it would be more capable
of supplying the short, transient bursts of high-current whenever the
load requires it.

[TechnicalKid]

Mistakes fixed :)

by the way are you german? because you wrote Also

[LaserDave]

Hi Tech...

No, I'm not German. However, I'd love to know how the word "also" hints to you that I am. The system seems to have placed this single word apart from the rest of the paragraph without much of a reason for doing so. Is using that word by itself some sort of Germanic practice, or does it have a significant meaning when used in that language? Very curious about this though.

[TechnicalKid]

In German also is like so. An because It is apart from the other text I thought that you mean " so the capacitor...." beacuse I thought so i´ve totally forgotten about the english word also :)

[kode1303]

Cool! Max watts?

[TechnicalKid]

depending on the rectifier module you use

[TechnicalKid]

?

[mirajuli]

please provide the schematic circuit diagram...or circuit diagram

[TechnicalKid]

I´m sorry, I have not seen your comment.

I´ve added the schematic in step 2

[kode1303]

Sorry - I was trying to ask what the max load you can put through this rectifier is. 6V, 10A or 60V, 1A or maybe 230V , 0.1A?

[TechnicalKid]

Sorry i just now that mine can output max. 2 Amps.

But of course you can try to use any bridge rectifier you want.

[Mike Fury 2]

Cool

[BeachsideHank]

I like this, every time I want to cobble together an experiment, I usually hunt up parts for the power supply too, this just takes one step out of the process and is entirely reusable, nice job!