A battery charger is used to recharge a battery when it is deeply or entirely discharged. A battery maintainer keeps the battery fully charged and prepared for usage by trickling in a small amount of charge on a regular basis. The amount of current they supply is one of the key differences between a battery charger and a battery maintainer. A battery maintainer maintains the battery's charge over time. While a battery charger often provides a high current output to quickly recharge a battery. Read this article to find out more about battery charger and battery maintainer and how they ... Read More

In an electric circuit, the rate at which the work is being done (or the energy is being expended) is known as electric power. Mathematically, electric power can be defined as the work done (or energy expended) per unit time, i.e., $$\mathrm{Power, \mathit{P}\:=\:\frac{Work\:done\:(\mathit{W})}{Time(\mathit{t})}}$$The unit of electric power is Joules per second.Based on the type of current, the electric power can be of two types viz.: DC power and AC power. The AC power is further classified into three main types as −Apparent power (S)Active power (P)Reactive power (Q)In this article, we will discuss about what the apparent power and the ... Read More

Welding and soldering are widely used in the fabrication industry. Both welding and soldering are used for joining metallic parts by the application of heat. In this article, we will compare welding and soldering by considering various factors like metaling temperature, heat source, use of flux, deformation, etc. But, before discussing about the differences between soldering and welding, it is advantageous to get the basic details of welding and soldering.What is Welding?A fabrication process which is used to join materials (metals or thermoplastics) by the application of high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing ... Read More

The rate of work done in an electric circuit is known as electric power. In an electric circuit, there are three types of electric powers viz. active power, reactive power and apparent power. In this article, we will discuss the major differences between active power and reactive power.What is Active Power?In an AC or DC electric circuit, the amount of electric power which is utilized and consumed in doing a work is called active power. Active power is also known as real power or true power. Active power is usually represented by the letter ‘P’ and is measured in Watts ... Read More

An electrical device which converts light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect is known as photovoltaic cell or PV cell or solar cell. A photovoltaic cell is basically a specially designed p-n junction diode.Construction and Working of Photovoltaic CellThe construction of a photovoltaic cell is shown in the following figure.A photovoltaic cell consists of a base metal plate and it is made of either steel or aluminum over which a metallic selenium layer is situated which is light sensitive and acts as the positive terminal.An electrically conducting layer of cadmium oxide is applied by sputtering over the selenium ... Read More

LED LampAn optoelectronic device which emits light based on the principle of electroluminescence is known as LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp.Electroluminescence is the emission of light due to the interaction of an electric field with a suitable solid. It was noticed in 1962 that a forward biased gallium-arsenide junction was found to be an efficient emitter of radiation.In case of electroluminescent p-n junctions, when biased in the forward direction, some of the energy dissipated is converted into light and hence, these are also called as semi-conductor lamps.Construction of LED LampFor the construction of LED lamps, following semiconductor materials are used ... Read More

An electrochemical process that removes material from a metallic workpiece is known as electropolishing. It is also known as electrochemical polishing or electrolytic polishing.Electro-polishing uses a combination of rectified current and a blended chemical electrolyte bath to remove flaws from the surface of a metal part. Electropolishing is often described as the reverse of electro-plating.Process of ElectropolishingThe schematic arrangement for the electropolishing is shown in the figure.In electro-polishing, the metallic workpiece is immersed in a temperature controlled bath of electrolyte and serves as the anode as it is connected to the positive terminal of a DC power supply.The negative terminal ... Read More

What is Electrodeposition?An electrolytic process by which one metal is deposited over other metal or non-metal is known as electrodeposition.Electrodeposition is widely used for decorative, protective and functional purposes. The process of electrodeposition includes −Electroplating − It is the process of deposition of metal over any metallic or non-metallic surfaces for protecting the metals from corrosion.Electro metallization − It is a process by which a metal can be deposited on a conducting base for decorative or protective purposes.Electro typing − It is a process used to reproduce printing, set up typing and medals, etc.Electro forming − It is a process ... Read More

Electric TractionThe action of pulling something over a surface (especially a road or a track) is known as traction. The action of drawing of vehicles by electric power derived from overhead wires, third rail, storage batteries or diesel generators mounted on the vehicles is known as electric traction. In simple words, the traction system which uses electric power for its operation is known as electric traction.The electric traction system is widely used in electric trains, tramcars, trolley buses and hybrid vehicles, etc.Advantages of Electric TractionThe major advantages of electric traction system over other types of traction (such as steam traction) ... Read More

The combination of an electric motor, energy transmitting shaft and control devices for motion control is known as electric drive. The following figure shows the block diagram of a typical electric drive.Based on their assembly, electric drives can be of the following three types −Individual DriveGroup DriveMulti-motor driveIn this article, let's check the advantages and disadvantages of using an Individual Electric Drive.What is an Individual Electric Drive?When an individual machine is fitted with its own electric motor, then the electric drive is known as individual electric drive. In case of individual electric drive, each operator has complete control on his ... Read More