🔍 Key Concepts

• Capacitor-input (C-input) filter characteristics in rectifier power supplies • Inductor-input (L-input or choke-input) filter characteristics in rectifier power supplies • Relationship between output voltage, voltage regulation, peak rectifier current, and transformer utilization factor (TUF)

💭 Think About

• For a capacitor-input filter connected to a rectifier, when does the capacitor charge during the AC cycle and what does that do to the peak current through the rectifier and transformer? • How does an inductor-input filter smooth current compared to a capacitor-input filter, and how does that affect output voltage level and voltage regulation when the load changes? • Between capacitor-input and inductor-input filters, which one generally gives higher DC output voltage for the same transformer/rectifier, and which one gives better (tighter) voltage regulation?

✅ Before You Answer

• For a capacitor-input filter, verify whether its output voltage is relatively high or low compared to the RMS secondary voltage, and whether rectifier peak currents are high or low. • For an inductor-input filter, verify whether its transformer utilization factor is generally high or low compared to a capacitor-input filter. • Carefully match the known typical characteristics (output voltage, regulation, peak current, TUF) of each filter type to the exact wording of the choices; eliminate any choice where even one attribute does not match the known behavior.