SM74611KTTR

The SM74611KTTR is a smart Bypass Diode used in photovoltaic applications. It serves the purpose of providing an alternate path for string current when parts of the panel are shaded during normal operation. Without bypass diodes, the shaded cells will exhibit a hot spot which is caused by excessive power dissipation in the reverse biased cells. Currently, conventional P-N junction diodes or Schottky diodes are used to mitigate this issue. Unfortunately the forward voltage drop for these diodes is still considered high (0.6V for normal diodes and 0.4V for Schottky). With 10A of currents flowing through these diodes, the power dissipation can reach as high as 6W. This in turn will raise the temperature inside the junction box where these diodes normally reside and reduce module reliability. The advantage of the SM74611 is that it has a lower forward voltage drop than PN junction and schottky diodes. It has a typical average forward voltage drop of 26mV at 8A of current.