A Zener diode is a semiconductor device that allows the flow of current in both directions although it is specialized in flowing current in reverse. These diodes are also called breakdown diodes which are most frequently used as stable voltage references mainly for electronic circuits. There are different zener diodes are there based on different voltage supplies. Among them, the 1N4734a Zener diode is one kind of diode that is used as a low-current voltage regulator. This diode is made with silicon (Si) material and used as a shunt regulator within various applications. This article provides brief information on the 1N4734a zener diode, pin configuration, specifications, working, and its applications.
What is 1N4734a Zener Diode?
The 1n4734a is a 5.1V Zener diode available in the DO-41 package, used with a high power rating in clipping circuits, as a low current voltage regulator, and in voltage protection circuits. The amount of flow of current within the Zener diode can be evaluated through the power dissipation. When the power dissipation of this diode is more, more current flows. So, the power dissipation of this diode is 1300mW. Zener diodes are used to protect the circuits from overvoltage.
There are two significant parameters that need to be considered while choosing these diodes such as; power dissipation & power Zener voltage. The Zener voltage is attained whenever a high reverse voltage potential is provided to the Zener diode. Some Zener diodes experience a Zener effect where it experiences extremely doped & sharp p-n junction. So in this case, reverse conduction within the diode can be performed through the electronic quantum tunneling.
Pin Configuration:
The pin configuration of the 1N4734a Zener diode is shown below. This diode includes two pins which are discussed below.
1N4734a Zener Diode Pin Configuration
- Pin1 (Anode): This is a positive terminal that allows the flow of current through the diode always.
- Pin2 (Cathode): This is a negative terminal where the flow of current exists always from this pin.
Features & Specifications:
The features and specifications of the 1N4734a Zener diode is discussed below.
- 1N4734a is a Zener diode.
- This diode includes two terminals.
- Its nominal zener voltage or VZ is 5.6Volts
- Its power dissipation or PZ is 1300mW.
- Zener regulator current or IZm is 162mA
- They can be used as shunt regulators.
- The case style of this diode is DO-41.
- Its maximum operating temperature is 200°C
- Mounting of this diode is Through Hole.
- It has a single configuration
- The zener voltage tolerance is 5%
- Its test current is 45 mA.
- Its reverse leakage current maximum is 10 uA.
- Its regulator current maximum is 162 mA at Ta=50C.
- The Zener impedance maximum is 5 Ohms.
- Its operating temperature ranges from -65°C to 175°C.
- Its maximum diameter is 2.6.
- Alternative 1N4734a zener diodes are; 4.7V Zener, 6.8V Zener, 5.1V Zener, 15V Zener, and 7.5V Zener.
Mobile Phone Charger Circuit Powered by Solar
We know that there are various kinds of renewable energy sources such as solar, tidal, wind, and many more. So here we are going to design a mobile phone charger circuit using solar energy for charging mobiles. In this circuit, a solar panel is used for changing the energy from solar to electricity. A solar mobile phone charger circuit is shown below.
The required components to make this circuit mainly include; 6V, 80mA two solar panels, 1N4734a Zener Diode, micro USB cable, BC547 NPN transistor, LM317 voltage regulator, 10K potentiometer, 1N5819 diodes and 100 Ohms & 150 Ohm resistors.
The connection of this circuit follows as;
Mobile Phone Charger Circuit Powered by Solar
- The D1 diode’s anode terminal is connected simply to the solar panel’s positive terminal & D2 diode’s cathode terminal is connected to the LM317 voltage regulator’s input pin.
- The LM317 o/p terminal is connected to the D2 diode’s anode terminal & this diode’s cathode terminal is connected to the Zener diode’s cathode terminal.
- The Zener diode’s anode terminal is connected to the BC547 transistor’s base terminal through a 100 Ohm resistor.
- The BC547 transistor’s collector terminal is connected to the LM317 IC’s output pin through a 150 Ohm resistor.
- The transistor’s emitter terminal is connected simply to the GND terminal.
- The LM317 IC’s adjust pin is connected to the variable end of the potentiometer & also the transistor’s collector terminal.
- One of the fixed ends of the potentiometer is connected simply to the GND terminal.
- The micro USB cable’s VCC pin is connected to the Zener diode’s cathode terminal whereas the GND pin is connected directly to the GND terminal.
Working
The working of this circuit is; initially, this entire setup needs to be arranged within a place where you can acquire more solar rays. From the circuit, the necessary output voltage is obtained by simply adjusting the potentiometer. Whenever we get the preferred voltage, then micro USB is connected to the mobile phone. So if there is solar radiation accessible from the solar panel, then the mobile phone simply gets charged.
This circuit simply guards the battery from overcharging. Whenever the user sets the preferred output voltage to 5V using a potentiometer & selects a Zener diode voltage Vz as 5V, then this circuit will work properly until the battery at the charging end is equal to or below 5V. When the battery voltage at the charging end is above 5 5Volts, then the Zener diode will conduct within the reverse. This will make the BC547 transistor function within forward bias mode, then it cuts off the R2 from the circuit & the o/p voltage from the circuit will be 1.25V. So this voltage is not enough to charge the battery. In this manner, this circuit will not charge the battery whenever it attains the necessary voltage & the battery is simply protected from overcharging.
1N4734a Zener Diode Applications
The applications of 1N4734a Zener diode include the following.
- 1N4734a Zener diode is used within voltage protection circuits.
- This zener diode can be used as a voltage regulator.
- This diode can be used as a low low-current voltage regulator.
- This diode is used to provide i/p voltage protection mainly for integrated circuits or microcontrollers.
- It is used within voltage-stabilizing circuits.
- This diode is used in clipping circuits through high power ratings.
- This diode can be used along with a resistor because the diode will get damaged because of high current.
Before selecting a diode it is necessary to know on How to Choose the Diode for a Circuit. For proper functioning of the diode providing a resistance for a diode is important in most of the cases. To understand its importance and how to choose please click on How to choose resistance for a diode ?
Please refer to this link for the 1N4003 Diode.
Please refer to this link for the 1N4734a Zener Diode Datasheet.
Thus, this is an overview of the 1N4734a Zener Diode, pin configuration, specifications, circuit, working, and its applications. This is one of the types of diode that is used for completely different purposes as compared to normal diodes. These are used mainly within short crude voltage regulators/ protection circuits. The Zener diode decides the amount of flow of current throughout the Zener diode. In addition, this kind of diode can also be guarded from higher currents. Here is a question for you, what is 1N4733a Zener diode?