I'll beat it one more time.
LawnBoy,
The definition of a diode is an electrical device that allows current to move through it in one direction with far greater ease than in the other. A forward biased diode allows current to pass through with some (usually minor) loss, a reverse-biased diode prevents current from passing through, however a very small amount of current can and does pass through. This current is called the leakage current.
Now, a diode, and a gated diode (scr) does what? Both allow electron flow in one direction and for the most part block electron flow in the opposite direction. Additionally, a gated diode has a "trigger." Both function with electron flow in both directions;
function 1 == allow,
function 2 == block.
Yes, it is a polarized junction, it only passes electrons in one direction, or direct current, but the device is intended to operate in an alternating current environment. That makes it an A.C. device.
I DID NOT mean triac. A triac actually consists of two gated junctions that share a common bond, and triacs have their own particular characteristics, which are close, but different than two scr’s wired back to back. An alternistor consists of two scr’s wired back to back in a common housing.
DTracy; A triac is not required in the application I described, because the need is to conduct in one direction only. One could argue that a triac could be used at that point to provide reverse polarity protection, however that is accomplished in a simpler and more economical fashion by the use of diodes as clamps.
Steve