
One small mistake—connecting power in reverse—can instantly destroy your circuit. But with simple reverse protection, you can prevent such disasters, especially in DIY projects and prototypes.
The Problem: Reversed Polarity Damage
When connecting a power supply, it’s easy to swap the positive and negative wires—especially in portable or plug-in circuits. This mistake can fry microcontrollers, burn components, and damage the entire board.
The Solution: Diodes or MOSFETs for Reverse Protection
You can prevent this using:
A Schottky diode in series with the power rail (low voltage drop).
A P-channel MOSFET on the high side or N-channel on the low side for efficient protection.
Diodes block reverse current, while MOSFETs allow near-zero loss if wired smartly.
Practical Example: Arduino Project
Imagine powering an Arduino from a 12V battery. You mistakenly reverse the wires. Without protection, the board is toast.
Fix: Add a 10A Schottky diode in series. In case of reverse polarity, it blocks current. In forward mode, it drops only ~0.3V.
Sample Calculation: Diode Voltage Drop Loss
If your load draws 500mA and the diode drops 0.3V:
Power loss = V × I = 0.3 × 0.5 = 0.15W — minimal and worth the protection.
Product Suggestion (Made in India)
Protect your projects with these locally made essentials:
MOSFET Modules – Efficient reverse protection
Shop MOSFET Modules
Flux Paste – Ensure durable, clean soldering
Shop now at SmartXProKits.in
Support our work and India’s innovation—buy from our Make in India site!
Written by smartxbrains
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