Controlling the flow of current

Can you control the direction of current with something other than a diode?

A diode doesn't control the direction of current. It just only lets current flow one way.

But there are other devices that do only allow current to flow one way through them. You can wire up a MOSFETs to do something similar. This is often used for reverse-polarity protection where the voltages are so low that a diode voltage drop cannot be tolerated. Diacs and thyristors also only let current flow in one direction (but has other quirks).

What are you trying to do?

zemanekj said:

Can you control the direction of current with something other than a diode?

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dknguyen said:

You can wire up a MOSFETs to do something similar

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I assume you'll be using more than one Mosfet when you prevent current flow when the mosfet is reversed biased.

zemanekj said:

Can you control the direction of current with something other than a diode?

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Depending what you mean by that, there are multiple different ways with different types of devices.

eg. Controlling a motor to run one way or the other, using switch contacts or relays:
**broken link removed**

Or the same principle using transistors:
https://electrosome.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/H-Bridge-DC-Motor-Driver-using-Transistors.png

Back to the OP's question, and your correction of the OP and your proposed solution, "MOSFET".

dknguyen said:

A diode doesn't control the direction of current. It just only lets current flow one way.

But there are other devices that do only allow current to flow one way through them. You can wire up a MOSFETs to do something similar.

Click to expand...

I was assuming the OP had an AC power source and was looking for an alternative to a diode to, as you put it, "let current flow one way". I was hoping you would show how your answer, "MOSFET" replaces a diode in a circuit that needs a diode.

gophert said:

I was hoping you would show how your answer, "MOSFET" replaces a diode in a circuit that needs a diode.

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Ambiguous questions give rise to ambiguous answers.

Don't lose any sleep over it.

JimB

zemanekj said:

Can you control the direction of current with something other than a diode?

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Yes. Any semiconducting device can do this; it is the definition of a semiconductor. Examples include a FET (of any flavor), a bipolar transistor, a vacuum tube, and a klystron.

ak