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Testing Silicon Rectifier Diode
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mr.fabe:
How do you test a silicon rectifier diode such as this GS1MF ?  Besides a resistance check for open/close, do you test at rated voltage or at a lower voltage level with low current?

Thanks in advance.
Wimberleytech:
Depends on the purpose.  If I just wanted to know if it were good or bad, I would test forward and reverse to confirm that it was rectifying.  You can do that with most any modern DMM.  If I wanted to characterize it, I would put it on a curve tracer and test it against datasheet values, which would mean running it up to rated voltage.
mr.fabe:
For normal diodes, the DMM diode test would work but it does not work with the HV type rectifier diodes.  A curve tracer would work if I had one that can generate 1kV.  Can anyone recommend other methods to test these diodes?
Wimberleytech:

--- Quote from: mr.fabe on November 06, 2019, 12:07:37 am ---For normal diodes, the DMM diode test would work but it does not work with the HV type rectifier diodes.  A curve tracer would work if I had one that can generate 1kV.  Can anyone recommend other methods to test these diodes?

--- End quote ---

Oh, I see...the cutin voltage is 1.1 volts...yeah DMM may not recognize that.
magic:
A DMM will measure 1.1V just fine, but you need to use volts mode and apply the test current externally from other source :)
A DMM wouldn't test the diode to its full rated 1A anyway.

As for reverse voltage, you just need some source of 1kV, no way around it. Somebody recently did a thread on testing diodes with a megger. If not, a voltage multiplier may give you 1kV.
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