"NSM" writes:

"electroninja" wrote in message
oups.com...
| NSM:
|
| Not exactly sure what you mean by "select a lower voltage." According
| to:
| www.americianmicrosemi.com/tutorials/zener.htm
|
| the "zener diode voltage must be specified" for circuit operation. They
| go on to say "...the breakdown voltage is the zener voltage for
| operation and is intended to operate at that voltage..." I like your
| idea to check the operational voltage at the diode connections (suspect
| diode heating breakdown at 40 sec however) but can you tell me what
| watt diode this might be given the size or other physical markings?

If you find. say, 12.3 VDC across the terminals (assuming the old diode is
open circuit) then I'd try 10 VDC. As for power I would eyeball it.

Why?

If I find 12.3 VDC across a zener, I expect it to be approximatley a
12 V zener.

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