TVS diode (Transient voltage suppression), such an electronic component that you can see on electric motors, in electrical circuits next to a MOSFET gate, etc.This part serves to protect the electronics from high voltage pulses.
Example: TVS P6KE20C diode. The case shows a voltage of 20 volts.If you put such a diode in parallel with a circuit on which voltage pulses above 20 Volts will appear, then the diode will open and extinguish these pulses.A signal or pulses below 20 volts will pass through the diode, the diode will be closed at this time.
A TVS diode may be either unidirectional or bidirectional.
A unidirectional device operates as a rectifier in the forward direction like any other avalanche diode, but is made and tested to handle very large peak currents.
A bidirectional TVS diode can be represented by two mutually opposing avalanche diodes in series with one another and connected in parallel with the circuit to be protected.
The TVS diode is similar in principle to a varistor, but it works much faster than a varistor.In the characteristics of the diode, you can see that the diode suppresses large currents and powers, but this all happens only with short-term pulses.If the pulse time and power are greater than the characteristics of the diode, the diode will fail
I will show you how to check the TVS diode for serviceability using the example of the P6KE20C diode.To do this, I took an alternating voltage generator, which can be found in a microwave oven (electric motor) and a voltmeter.The motor, when spinning the rotor, outputs more than 200 volts of alternating voltage with a slight current.Parallel to the motor outputs, I put this diode.Now, when the motor is promoted, the voltage at its output will not exceed 20 Volts.The diode is working properly.
TVS diode P6KE180A is designed to work up to 180 volts.The P6KE12A diode operates up to 12 volts
