1)BREADBOARD
It is too much important for us, because it give more flexibility for our circuits. Try a good quality one for better result.
2)WIRE CUTTER
Just buy a quality product because it has long life time.
3)SINGLE STAND WIRE
Always try good quality single stand wire because it determine your BREADBOARD life time. It is only for BREADBOARD connections.
4)MALTY STAND WIRES
It help for better soldering.
5)POWER SUPPLY
You must create or buy a variable voltage supply for lab experiments. It can be possible for only RS 300. Just search for a circuit of a variable voltage supply and list the components. Then make one. It is is simple.
6) MALTY METER
Just buy a digital malty meter for RS 300. It is usable for various measurements.
Now you are ready for experimenting electronics in your own lab.
HALF WAVE RECTIFIER USING A DIODE
I believe that you have a step down transformer to convert AC 230 volt to a lower level.
Just buy a diode from an electronics shop. Try to buy 1n4007 diode. It is a silicon diode.
Then connect the diode in the BREADBOARD in series with transformer secondary. Now you have a simple half wave rectifier. But you need a out put voltage to drive another device. so just connect that device in series with our simple half wave rectifier. Now you can get a voltage for that device.
But in practical cases half wave rectifier is not suitable for any application. We need a current limiting component and a filter for better DC voltage.
So calculate the current for your device and then find out current limiting resistor value. Or you consider the maximum value of current through your device and then calculate the resistor value from OHMS low.
Just example, your device is a 12 volt 500 ma electronic equipment, take v=12volt and I=500 ma. Then find out resistor value from equation I=V/R.
Connect the current limiting resistor in series with diode because we need a control in the current through diode.
Then we use a capacitor like 470 microfarad such as to get a filtering action. Connect that capacitor in parallel with your device , that is shunt your load.
NOW the half wave rectifier is ready to use...
NOTE: make a sense on transformer selection. If you need 9 volt out put, you choose 6-0-6 ,6-0 transformer. That is consider RMS value as output.
For 6 volt output, use 3 volt on secondary of transformer.
for 9 volt output, use 6 volt on secondary of transformer.
for 12 volt output, use 9 volt transformer...
Zener diode as a voltage regulator
First you understand the working of a zener diode. In forward biasing it act as same as a diode.
In negative biasing, The zener is conducting after the voltage is exceeded above its zener break down voltage.
That is if you connect a 5.1 volt zenor diode in parallel with your load. If your input voltage is exceeded above 5.1 volt ,then diode start to conduct and thus the voltage is regulated.
Always connect zener diode in reverse bias for use it as a voltage regulator.
Try to understand the cathode and anode of diode from the figure. Anode is the P junction of diode and cathode is N junction of diode.
