1. Home
  2. Hobby Electronics Basics
  3. Diac / Diode Confusion ?

Diac / Diode Confusion ?

A 1N4148 is a diode. A diac is not a diode.

formatting link 

--
Regards,
   Robert Monsen

"Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis."
     - Pierre Laplace (1749-1827), to Napoleon,
        on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God.
Reply to
Robert Monsen
Loading thread data ...

On the following link it says in part the following....

Most diacs are used for pulse generation, probably in the order of amps, and are designed as such. I think the published ratings for static (DC) use are a bit on the consevative side, take a 1N4148 sized diac and say 100 to 200 mW dissipation and about 2V across the diac we are left with 50 to 100 mA, more than enough!

formatting link

My question is, Is this web site confused. When I looking up a 1N4148 it is NOT a Diac, it is a Diode. Please bear with me as I'm a novice. A Diac goes in one direction and will start conducting electricity at a certain voltage. I Get that.

A diode works in one direction also but from that point I'm a little unsure what the difference is. Can anyone explain this in simple terms? Does the Diode also limt voltage eg. a 5v Diode limits voltage to well .. 5V.

Regards

Reply to
Trudeau 

--
No. Notice they were referring to a  1N4148 _sized_ diode.  That is, a
Diac in the same size package as a 1N4148.
Reply to
John Fields

and

are

200

mA,

formatting link

unsure

5V.

Thanks, Yes I missed the "sized diac". I also think I was a little confused because a diac diagram is like two diodes in oposite direction. Previous to my post I read

formatting link
and the concept of hysteresis my head was swimming a bit.

Thanks

Reply to
Trudeau

A diac the same physical size as a 1N4148

and say 100 to 200 mW dissipation and about 2V across the

See above.

Please bear with me as I'm a

True but it is reversable (symettrical, unlike a diode)

I Get that.

Have a look at Zener diodes.

--
My most uptodate website is
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/g.knott/index.htm
Reply to
Graham Knott

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.