ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  

 Home > Electronics > Clamper Circuit – Types, Working and Applications

Basic Electronics Digital Electronics Electronics

Clamper Circuit – Types, Working and Applications

 Electrical Technology 0  5 minutes read

Clamper Circuit – Positive and Negative Clampers with Biasing Operation

A Clamper circuit is used for adding a DC shift to an AC signal. It does not distort the shape of the
signal but only shifts the amplitude of the signal. In this article, types of clamper circuit and their
working is explained with input-output waveforms.

Table of Contents

1. Clamper Circuit
2. Working of Clamper Circuit
3. Type of Clampers
3.1. Positive Clamper
3.2. Positive Clamper with Biasing
3.2.1. Positive Biasing
3.2.2. Negative Biasing
3.3. Negative Clamper
3.4. Negative Clamper with Biasing
3.4.1. Positive Biasing
3.4.2. Negative Biasing
4. Applications of Clamper Circuit

Clamper Circuit

A clamper circuit is also known as a clamping circuit is an electronic circuit that shifts the DC level of

ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  
a signal without changing the shape of its waveform. It moves the whole signal either up or down
about the reference level.

Unlike the clipper circuit, it does not change or distort the shape of the waveform. It simply adds or
subtracts the DC level from the waveform to shift the waveform up or below the 0V reference line.

Working of Clamper Circuit

The idea behind the clamper circuit is to add the DC component to shift the waveform above the 0v
line or subtract the DC component to shift the waveform below the –v line. This DC component is
introduced into the circuit by utilizing a capacitor (which is the main component of a clamper circuit
apart from diode and resistor). The capacitor store the charge in one half-cycle and discharges in
another half cycle where it adds to the input signal and shifts the DC level of the whole signal.

Related Posts:

Clipper Circuit – Types, Working and Applications

Main Difference Between Clipper and Clamper Circuit

Type of Clampers
The clamper circuit can be designed in the following types.

Positive Clamper
Negative Clamper

Positive Clamper
In a positive clamper circuit, the input waveform is shifted upward above the 0v reference line. Here is
the circuit diagram of a positive clamper circuit.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is reverse biased, therefore, therefore, the input signal appears
at the output as it is. At this point, the capacitor is not charged and there is no clamping. Therefore,
the output at this half cycle is not considered.


During the next negative half cycle, the diode becomes forward biased and it starts to conduct, at this

ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
half cycle, the capacitor charges up to the peak input voltage VM with inverse polarity.  

During the next positive half cycle, the diode is reverse biased and it does not conduct. Due to this, the
capacitor starts to discharge. The capacitor discharge adds to the input signal which appears at the
output as the summation of both voltages which reaches up to 2VM. This is how the signal level is
shifted above the 0v line.

Related Posts:

Cuk Converter and How it Works? Circuit & Operation

Buck Converter – Circuit, Design, Operation and Examples
Boost Converter? Circuit Diagram and Working

Positive Clamper with Biasing

The positive clamper can be biased with another voltage source to further shift the input signal
waveform. The biasing can be either positive or negative voltage. Simply put, the positive biasing
further shifts up the waveform while the negative biasing lower down the waveform by the amount of
the biasing voltage.

Positive Biasing
During positive biasing a positive voltage source is added in series with the diode as shown in the
figure below.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is reverse biased for the input signal but forward biased for
the battery voltage. Therefore, the diode conducts until the input voltage exceeds the battery. During
the conduction, the capacitor is charged with the battery voltage VB. the diode stops conduction once
the input voltage exceeds.

During the negative half cycle, the diode is forward biased for both input and battery voltage. Thus the
diode conducts to charge the capacitor with both the input and battery voltage VM+VB. During the next
positive half cycle, the capacitor is discharged that adds to the input signal waveform as explained in
the positive clamper circuit.

 Related Post: 12V to 5V Converter Circuit – Boost and Buck Converters

Negative Biasing
ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  

The negative biased positive clamper has the same operation as a positive biased clamper except the
waveform is shifted down by the amount of the battery voltage VB

During the positive half cycle, the diode is reverse biased due to both input voltage and the battery
voltage. The diode does not conduct and the capacitor does not charge.

During the negative half cycle, the diode is forward biased for input voltage but it is reversed biased
for battery voltage VB. Therefore, the diode does not conduct unless the input voltage exceeds the
battery voltage and when the diode conducts, the capacitor charges. Due to this, the charging voltage
of the capacitor is reduced to Vm – VB.

During the next positive cycle, the diode does not conduct, thus the capacitor is discharge and the
waveform is shifted upward by VM – VB (the capacitor voltage). The biasing voltage shifts the
waveform down by the amount of VB of a positive clamper.

Related Posts:

Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) – Block Diagram, Factors & Applications

Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) – Types, Working & Applications

Negative Clamper
The negative clamper shifts the whole input waveform downward. Here is the circuit diagram of a
negative clamper circuit.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward-biased. Therefore, it conducts and charges the
capacitor with inverse polarity up to the peak input voltage -VM. There is no output during this half
cycle.

ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY 
During the negative half cycle, the diode is reverse biased and it does not conduct. Therefore, the


capacitor discharges which adds with the input waveform. The addition of both voltages shifts the
whole waveform furthermore up to -2VM. This is how the input signal is shifted downward.

Related Posts:

Basic Voltage Doubler Circuit Diagram using 555 Timer IC

Dual Power Supply Circuit Diagram – 230VAC to ±12VDC

Negative Clamper with Biasing

The positive and negative biasing of negative clamper further shifts the waveform above or down.

Positive Biasing
The positive biasing of the negative clamper adds a positive or upward shift by the amount of biasing
voltage to the negative clamped waveform. It shifts the waveform up to the positive level due to
positive basing.

During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased for input voltage but reverse biased for
battery voltage. The diode conducts when the input voltage exceeds the battery and then the
capacitor charges. Therefore, the amount of capacitor charge is reduced by the amount of VB and the
capacitor voltage results in -VM + VB.

During the negative half cycle, the diode does not conduct and the capacitor discharge. The sum of
input voltage and the capacitor appears at the output which has a shift of VB upward as shown in the
figure above.

Related Posts:

Electronic Eye Circuit and How does it Work?

Bionic Eye and How Does it Work?

Negative Biasing 
The negative biasing of the negative clamper further shifts downward the input signal waveform.
 ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  

During the positive half cycle, the diode is forward biased for both the input signal and the battery
voltage. Thus the diode conducts and the capacitor charges with the sum of both voltages.

During the negative half-cycle, the diodes reverse biases for input voltage but do conduct for the
battery voltage. When the input voltage exceeds the battery, the diode blocks the signal and it appears
at the output including the discharge voltage of the capacitor. As a result the waveform further shifts
downward as shown in the figure.

Applications of Clamper Circuit

In simple words, the clamper circuit clamps the voltage to increases its amplitude, therefore, it is
mostly used as a voltage multiplier. Here are some applications of the clamper circuit.

It is used as a voltage multiplier.

It is used for improving the reverse recovery time.
It is used for removing the distortion in the signal.
It is also used as test equipment.

Related Posts:

IGBT? Construction, Types, Working and Applications

GTO? Types, Construction, Working and Applications
TRIAC? Symbol, Construction, Working and Applications
DIAC? Symbol, Construction, Working and Applications
MOSFET – Working, Types, Operation, Advantages, and Applications
Types of Transistors – BJT, FET, JFET, MOSFET, IGBT & Special Transistors

 Tags Clamper Circuit Negative Clamper Positive Clamper

         


 Electrical TechnologyELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  
All about Electrical and Electronic Engineering & Technology. Join us on WhatsApp at Electrical Technology Official
Channel, to receive the latest content, articles, and updates. You can also like and follow our social media networks below,
or subscribe with your email to receive premium engineering articles in your mailbox.

       

Related Articles

Clap Switch Circuit Using IC 555 Traffic Light Control Electronic Main Difference Between Electrical
Timer & Without Timer Project using IC 4017 & 555 Timer and Electronic Engineering?

The Main Difference between How to Calculate the Value of 15+ Must Have Android Apps for
Active and Passive Components Resistor for LED’s & Different Electrical & Electronics Engineers
Types of LED Circuits & Students

SHOW ALL COMMENTS


 ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  

 FOLLOW US

2.7M 5k 219k 202k

FANS FANS FANS FANS

2.9k 3k 4k 1k
FANS FANS FANS POSTS


 ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
 Home > Electronics > Main Difference Between Clipper and Clamper Circuit  

Basic Concepts Basic Electronics Digital Electronics Electrical Design

Electronics Questions - Answers

Main Difference Between Clipper and

Clamper Circuit
 Electrical Technology 0  4 minutes read

What is the Difference Between Clipper and Clamper Circuit?

Clipper and clamper circuits are electronic circuits used for the
modification of AC signals. The clipper circuit can clip a portion of the AC
waveform while the clamper shifts the DC level of the AC signal. They are
quite different yet have almost similar circuit designs.

Before going into the list of differences between the clipper & clamper
circuit, we are going to discuss it first.

Table of Contents

1. Clipper Circuit
2. Clamper Circuit
3. Key Differences between Clipper and Clamper Circuit
4. Main Difference Between Clipper & Clamper

Clipper Circuit 
A clipper circuit clips off or removes a portion from an AC signal without
distorting or changing the remaining part of the waveform. It limits the
ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
voltage from rising above or below a certain point. Therefore, it is also  
used for protection against overvoltage. The clipper circuit can be also
known as a clipper, clipping circuit, voltage limiter or slicer, etc.

A clipper circuit is made of a diode, resistor. The diode is used for

chopping or clipping a portion of the signal’s waveform.

A clipper circuit can be either series clipper or shunt clipper where both
types can be used to clip either half of a waveform or clip a portion from
the waveform. The change in the shape of the waveform depends on the
type of the clipper circuit.

A clipper circuit does not change the amplitude of the waveform. It only
blocks the amplitude from rising above a certain limit which is why it is
also known as a voltage limiter.

A clipper can be either positive or negative. A positive clipper clips the

positive half of the AC waveform & the negative clipper clips the negative
half. The circuit can be modified with another voltage biasing to further
modify the signal’s waveform.

Here is a positive series clipper circuit.

During the positive half, the diode is reverse biased & it does not conduct
the signal to the load resistor. But during the negative half, the diode
becomes reverse bias for the input signal & it conducts. Therefore, the
positive half does not appear at the output while the negative half does.
In other words, the positive half has been clipped from the input signal.

Related Posts:


 ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
 Home > Electrical Machines > Transformer > Difference Between Current Transformer &
Potential Transformer
 

Basic Concepts Comparisons Electrical Machines Questions - Answers

Transformer

Difference Between Current Transformer

& Potential Transformer
 Electrical Technology 0  5 minutes read

What is the Difference between Current Transformer and

Potential or Voltage Transformer?
The voltage and current used for electrical power transmission over long
distances is very high. Measurement of such current and voltage is
impossible using our conventional meters. Therefore, Instrument
transformers such as current transformers and potential transformers
are used to decrease their levels down to safe limits where they can be
measured with a normal meter.

Before going into the list of differences between current transformer and
potential transformer, let’s explain them first.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Transformer?
2. Current Transformer
3. Potential Transformer
4. Comparison between Current Transformer and Voltage or
Potential Transformer
5. Important Differences

What is a Transformer?
A transformer is an electrical device that transfers electrical energy from
one circuit to another through mutual induction. It has two coils i.e.
primary and secondary that are magnetically coupled and electrical
isolated. They are used for increasing or decreasing the voltage and
current levels without changing it frequency.

There are different types of transformers used for specific applications
such as power transformers, auto transformer, isolation transformer,
ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
instrument transformer etc. The current transformer and the potential  
transformer are the two types of instrument transformer that are solely
used for the measurement of high current and voltages in the power
lines.

Related Posts:

Difference Between GFCI and AFCI

Differences Between HVAC and HVDC – Power Transmission
Difference Between Series and Parallel Circuit – Comparison

Current Transformer
A current transformer (CT) is a type of instrument transformer that is
used for reducing high current down to low level for measuring with
normal Ammeter. It is used for the measurement of high current in power
lines.

A current transformer is a step-up transformer that reduces the current

but increases the voltage. It decreases the current down to few amperes.
This current can be easily measured with our conventional Ammeter. But
the voltage at its secondary is very high due to which the secondary of
the CT must not be open when there is a current flowing through its
primary.

It is connected in series to the power line whose current needs to be

d


 ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY  

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter Your Email Address to Subscribe to this Blog and Receive Notifications of New Posts by Email.

Email Address

SUBSCRIBE