impedance of the diodes during conduction – and this will be done throughout
unless otherwise stated – the reservoir or smoothing capacitor C is charged to
the maximum voltage CVmax of the a.c. voltage V¾t of the h.t. transformer,
when D conducts. This is the case as long as V < V¾t for the polarity of D
assumed. If I D 0, i.e. the output load being zero RL D1, the d.c. voltage
across C remains constant CVmax, whereas V¾t oscillates between šVmax.
The diode D must be dimensioned, therefore, to withstand a peak reverse
voltage of 2Vmax.