30A SCHOTTKY DIODE
Buy now from the REUK Shop
Home >
REUK Shop >
Renewable Energy System PartsFirst class
Postage and Packaging on all orders is just
£1.95 in the UK.
To view your
shopping basket click here.
Additional Information
These
30A Schottky Diodes are perfect for use within a Solar Panel or Wind Turbine based renewable energy system, or with marine applications.
This diode will allow a constant current of up to
30 Amps (and surges of up to 400 Amps) to flow in only one direction. This can therefore be used to prevent the
battery bank of a solar system from discharing power at night, and also to prevent a similar discharge with a wind turbine generator in which the battery bank can end up turning the turbine like a motor when there is little or no wind. This blocking diode will help to keep your power where it should be - in your batteries!
Schottky Diode
This is a special kind of diode called a
Schottky Diode (General Purpose Schottky Rectifier). In all diodes some voltage is dropped as the current flows through it. This means that energy is lost (wasted) as heat which you would like to use. A standard diode has a voltage drop of around 0.70 Volts - a significant amount when dealing with 12 Volt systems. This Schottky Diode has a voltage drop of
just 0.31 Volts typically.
Using the Diode
The diode can simply be connected between the live / positive cable of the renewable energy system and the battery bank. The threaded end of the diode would be clamped to the positive terminal of the battery, and the looped end connected to the live cable with a nut and bolt or some solder.
When large currents are flowing through the diode it can get hot so you may also consider fixing a heat sink to the diode (at the threaded end) to dissipate this heat.
Using these Diodes in Larger Systems
If your system has more than 30 Amps of current flowing through it, more than one of these diodes can be
connecting in parallel with 2 diodes suitable for up to 60 Amps of current, 3 diodes 90 Amps, and so on.
Technical Details
These are
KYS30 general purpose Schottky rectifiers. Peak reverse voltage is 40 Volts (making them unsuitable for use with a 48 Volt battery bank or larger). Click here to view the
KYS30 Datasheet.
Related REUK.co.uk Articles
Why are solar panels connected to batteries through a diode?
Find out how to use a blocking diode with a wind turbine generator