Craig Healy wrote in a message to Alec Cameron:
 CH> OK, then why *does* the diode heat up when current passes 
 CH> through it? Whenever I've used a set of series diodes to 
 CH> "lower" the 12v source in a vehicle to run a 6v load like a 
 CH> radio, the diodes heat up. If there is .7 volts measured across 
 CH> an individual diode, and it's carrying 5 amps, and it's heating 
 CH> up in the process then it looks like a voltage drop to me!
Well,  5 amps and 0.7 volts is 3.5 watts,  roughly.  That's certainly a 
nontrivial amount of power!
email: roy.j.tellason%tanstaaf@frackit.com 
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