Test Connections: Touch the multimeter's red probe (positive) to the diode's anode and the black probe (negative) to the cathode. In this direction, the diode should show a low resistance reading (forward bias). If reversed, the reading should be “OL” (open loop) or very high. As a bipolar component, a diode has an anode and a cathode at its two terminals, just like the positive and negative terminals in a circuit power source. In fact, both combinations are correct and may coexist in a. Most diodes feature obvious physical indicators to denote their polarity: Stripes or Bands: The cathode is typically marked with a colored stripe (often black, white, or silver) near one end of the diode body. For example, standard rectifier diodes like YFW's high-voltage diodes usually have a. How to distinguish the anode and cathode terminals of a diode? How to distinguish the anode and cathode terminals of a diode? For two-terminal diodes, the cathode terminal is marked by a laser or other technique. It allows current flow in only one direction.
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