Wayne Fugitt wrote: > Evening V, > > >> At 02:12 PM 10/15/2006, you wrote: > > > Well here is a picture of how this particular three legged diode > > looks and a spec sheet for it that explains how to connect it. > >http://photoman.bizland.com/diode.jpg > >http://photoman.bizland.com/70711.pdf > > Thanks for the links. I looked at both, and read most of the pdf. > > Seems someone changed the definition of a diode. I think this > component is a bit more. > First, Di means two, ..... I thought. >
This is a constant current diode, not a normal diode. It IS a misnomer, but they normally get away with it because for normal leaded units, the gate and source are connected together internally, and only two leads are brought out. For the surface mount device, all 3 terminals are available. > > It appears he got the wrong component to start with. Can't see why > anyone wants this device if all he wants is a diode. That is the correct device for a constant current diode. I have used them for a couple of decaded now. We are not talking about a normal reverse blocking diode, but rather a FET transistor that is rated to produce a specific constant current when the source and gate are tied together. That is the structure for what is commonly called a current limiting diode. > > > I understand that everything changes over time. Yet I have a hard > time accepting the fact that the lowly diode has changed into a 3 > legged critter. This is not a lowly grade diode, it is a constant current diode, which is an entirely different animal. It is not new, they have been available for over 35 years, I first used on in 1969. > > > I suppose it works like a diode when connected as the drawing. > No it does not. A diode allow current to go in one direction, and blocks in the other. A constant current diode limits the current to the specified amount over the specified voltage range. > > Nevertheless, I think everyone should learn the old fashioned > definitions, theory and use before progressing to new devices that > are in fact misnamed. No argument there. But as I said this is NOT a new device, it is older than many people on this forum. Marshall > > > Wayne > > -- > The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. > > Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org > > To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com > > Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com > > The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... > > List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com> >
