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IntroductionIn electronics, current sense amplifiers are special-purpose amplifiers that output a voltage proportional to the current flowing in a power rail. They are often referred to as current shunt amplifiers because they use a shunt resistor in the power rail that provides a small voltage drop when current flows through the resistor. These devices are designed to handle common-mode voltages that can exceed their own supply voltage. The working principle of a current sensing amplifier is based on Ohm's law (V = I × R), where the voltage drop across the sense resistor is converted and amplified to a measurable output voltage by the current sense amplifier.Ⅰ Current Sense Amplifier Overview1.1 What is a Current Sense Amplifier?Current sense amplifiers are designed for the specific purpose of amplifying very small sensed voltages across a shunt resistor, typically within a range of 10 to 100 mV. These amplifiers are optimized for DC precision (e.g., low input offset voltage, typically less than 50 µV) and high common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). Current sensing amplifiers can measure current flowing in a single direction (unidirectional) or in both directions through the sensing resistor. When an amplifier is capable of detecting current flow in both directions, it is called a bidirectional current sensing amplifier. Modern current sense amplifiers also feature enhanced bandwidth (up to several MHz), low quiescent current (as low as 50 µA), and integrated protection features such as overcurrent detection and alert outputs.1.2 Common-Mode Voltage and CMRRCommon-mode voltage is critical for both standard amplifiers and current sense amplifiers. The common-mode voltage refers to the average voltage applied to the inputs of the amplifier. This parameter is crucial because the amplifier has a limited ability to distinguish and differentiate signals depending on the common-mode voltage level. A standard op-amp's input range is typically insufficient for precision current sensing operations. In current sense amplifiers, the common-mode voltage range often extends well beyond the actual supply voltage of the amplifier. For example, modern current sense amplifiers can achieve supply operating voltage ranges from -4 V to +80 V, with some specialized devices supporting ranges up to +120 V or even higher for automotive and industrial applications.Op-Amp CMRR (Common Mode Rejection Ratio) ExplainedThe CMRR (common-mode rejection ratio) is the ratio of differential gain to common-mode gain, typically expressed in decibels (dB). For an ideal op-amp, the CMRR is infinite, but in real circuits, it typically ranges from 80 to 120 dB for high-performance current sense amplifiers. A high CMRR means that the amplifier can effectively reject common-mode signals while accurately amplifying the differential signal. For a current sense amplifier, high CMRR is essential because it determines how well the amplifier can measure small differential voltages in the presence of large common-mode voltages. Modern current sense amplifiers achieve CMRR values exceeding 100 dB, enabling them to sense tiny voltage drops across shunt resistors even when the common-mode voltage is several orders of magnitude larger. The high CMRR also helps eliminate noise on the current sense lines, improving measurement accuracy and system reliability.1.3 Main Types of Current Sense AmplifiersHigh-side AmplifiersThe current is measured between the supply rail and the load. The DC voltage applied to the input pins can be much higher than the amplifier's power supply voltage. High-side sensing is preferred in applications requiring ground fault detection and load diagnostics.Low-side AmplifiersThe current is measured between the load and ground. The voltage applied to the input pins is close to ground potential. Low-side sensing is simpler to implement but can interfere with ground reference integrity.Bidirectional AmplifiersThese amplifiers can measure current flow in both directions, making them ideal for battery monitoring, motor control, and applications with regenerative braking.Integrated Current Sense Amplifiers with ADCModern devices integrate analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital interfaces (I²C, SPI) for direct microcontroller communication, simplifying system design.Figure 1. High-side Current Sensing AmplifierⅡ Current Sense Amplifiers vs Common AmplifiersCurrent sense amplifiers and common operational amplifiers have different specifications and are designed for specific purposes. Standard operational amplifiers typically cannot amplify very small differential voltages in the presence of large common-mode voltages and have relatively low CMRR (typically 80-90 dB). In contrast, precision current sense amplifiers can detect and amplify very small voltage drops (as low as a few millivolts) while maintaining high CMRR (100-120 dB or higher).For normal operational amplifiers, the input voltage must remain between the power supply rails (VCC and VEE), and the amplifiers can only operate on input signals within this range. In a standard amplifier, applying an external voltage beyond the power rails to the input pins will activate internal ESD protection diodes, potentially causing large currents to flow and damaging the device.However, current sense amplifiers are designed to handle input voltages that far exceed their supply voltage. For example, an amplifier powered by 3.3V or 5V can safely measure voltages on power rails operating at 12V, 24V, 48V, or even higher. These amplifiers use specialized input architectures and protection circuits that allow them to operate with high common-mode voltages. When the common-mode input voltage exceeds VCC, the amplifier employs advanced circuit techniques to maintain accurate measurements without damage. Some modern current sense amplifiers also feature integrated overcurrent detection, alert outputs, and enhanced EMI/RFI rejection for robust performance in noisy industrial and automotive environments. Ⅲ How to Design a Circuit Using Current Sense AmplifiersConsider a design example with a 12V, 1A power rail where high-precision current sensing is required. Current sense amplifiers provide an ideal solution for this application. However, proper component selection is critical for optimal performance.For this application, select a current sense amplifier rated for at least 12V common-mode voltage with sufficient bandwidth for the application (typically 100 kHz to 1 MHz for DC and low-frequency AC measurements). Choose between high-side and low-side sensing based on system requirements. High-side current sensing is preferred for detecting fault or short-circuit conditions while maintaining ground integrity. Low-side current sensing offers simpler implementation but disrupts the ground reference path.The LT6108 (now part of Analog Devices) is an excellent choice for this application. This amplifier features a wide input common-mode voltage range (-0.3V to +60V), high gain accuracy, and low offset voltage. The device can operate with supply voltages from 2.9V to 60V, making it suitable for both 12V and lower voltage control circuits. Key specifications include: input offset voltage of 50 µV (typical), CMRR of 125 dB (minimum), and bandwidth of 500 kHz.Figure 2. LT6108 Circuit for Fault Protection with Fast Latching Load DisconnectThe circuit above demonstrates a practical implementation using the LT6108. A 1-ohm sense resistor creates a voltage drop proportional to the load current (1V drop at 1A). The IRF9640 P-channel MOSFET serves as the switching element, while the 2N2222 NPN transistor (note: 2N2700 in the original text appears to be a typo) provides the control function. The amplifier output can trigger the switching MOSFET to disconnect the load when current exceeds a preset threshold. In this configuration, the trip point is set at 250 mA. The circuit will open when current exceeds this limit, providing overcurrent protection. For different current thresholds (e.g., 1A), adjust the voltage divider network at the comparator input. The VOUT pin provides a voltage proportional to the sensed current, enabling real-time current monitoring. This circuit topology can be adapted using other current sense amplifiers with appropriate input voltage ranges. For higher voltage applications (24V, 48V), select amplifiers with extended common-mode voltage ranges, such as the INA240 (up to 80V) or MAX40080 (up to 60V).Design Considerations:Sense Resistor Selection: Choose a value that provides adequate voltage drop (typically 50-100 mV at full scale) while minimizing power dissipation. For 1A measurement, resistor values between 0.05Ω and 0.1Ω are common.PCB Layout: Use Kelvin connections to the sense resistor to eliminate errors from trace resistance. Keep traces short and symmetric to minimize offset errors.Filtering: Add input filtering capacitors (typically 0.1 µF ceramic) close to the amplifier inputs to reduce noise and improve stability.Gain Setting: Many current sense amplifiers offer programmable gain through external resistors, allowing optimization for specific current ranges. Ⅳ Common Applications of Current Sensing ICs4.1 Low-side Current Sense ICLow-side current sensing places the shunt resistor between the load and ground. This configuration measures current by monitoring the voltage drop across the sense resistor in the ground return path. The diagrams below demonstrate low-side measurement circuits.Practical implementations include using the INA181 current sense amplifier with its output connected to an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) for digital processing. Another approach employs the AD8202 current sense amplifier from Analog Devices for sensing current through inductive loads. Modern alternatives include the INA190 series and MAX9938, which offer enhanced precision and lower power consumption.1) AdvantagesLow-side current measurement offers several benefits. The configuration is straightforward to implement because the common-mode voltage remains close to ground potential. Standard operational amplifiers or simple differential amplifiers can be used since high common-mode rejection is not critical. The low common-mode voltage simplifies circuit design and reduces component costs. Additionally, low-side sensing typically provides better noise immunity in the measurement path.2) DisadvantagesThe primary limitation of low-side current measurement is the disruption of the ground reference. Placing the shunt resistor in series with the ground path means the load no longer has a direct connection to system ground. This can cause ground bounce issues, interfere with proper operation of the load, and make it impossible to detect ground faults or short circuits to ground. Additionally, low-side sensing cannot detect leakage currents or faults that bypass the sense resistor. For these reasons, high-side sensing is often preferred in safety-critical applications.4.2 High-side Current Sense ICUnlike low-side current sensing, high-side current sensing places the shunt resistor between the positive power supply and the load. This configuration preserves ground integrity while enabling current measurement. The circuits shown below illustrate high-side current sensing implementations.Practical examples include the TI INA240, which provides analog output or integrated comparators for overcurrent detection. Some variants offer digital output via I²C interface for direct microcontroller communication. The Linear Technology LT6100 (now Analog Devices) demonstrates high-side current sensing with a fused load for enhanced protection. Modern alternatives include the INA226 (with integrated 16-bit ADC and I²C interface), MAX40080 (with integrated 12-bit ADC), and INA3221 (triple-channel monitor for multi-rail systems).Figure 3. TI INA240 in Circuit1) AdvantagesHigh-side current measurement offers significant advantages over low-side sensing. First, it maintains ground integrity, ensuring the load has a solid ground reference. This prevents ground bounce and interference issues. Second, it enables detection of all fault conditions, including short circuits to ground, since all current must flow through the sense resistor. Third, high-side sensing allows accurate measurement of the actual load current without ground path interference. Fourth, it provides better system diagnostics and fault isolation capabilities. Finally, high-side sensing is essential for battery monitoring applications where the negative terminal is grounded.2) DisadvantagesThe primary challenge of high-side current sensing is the requirement for high common-mode rejection. The small differential voltage (typically 50-100 mV) across the shunt resistor sits on top of a large common-mode voltage equal to the supply rail voltage. This requires specialized amplifiers with high CMRR (>100 dB) and wide common-mode input ranges. Additionally, high-side sensing circuits are typically more complex and expensive than low-side alternatives. However, advances in integrated circuit technology have made high-side current sense amplifiers increasingly affordable and easy to implement.4.3 Bidirectional Current Sense ICBidirectional current sense circuits use a single shunt resistor but require amplifiers capable of detecting current flow in both directions. These circuits are essential for applications such as battery charge/discharge monitoring, motor control with regenerative braking, and power management systems with bidirectional power flow.Several architectures enable bidirectional current sensing. One approach uses two current sense amplifiers (such as the INA300) connected in a configuration where each amplifier detects current flow in one direction. The circuit requires reverse polarity protection and switching logic to select the appropriate amplifier output based on current direction.A more elegant solution uses integrated bidirectional current sense amplifiers such as the INA240, INA180, or MAX40080. These devices use a reference voltage (typically mid-supply or an external reference) as the zero-current point. When current flows in one direction, the output voltage rises above the reference; when current reverses, the output falls below the reference. The differential output voltage is proportional to current magnitude, while the polarity indicates current direction.Modern bidirectional amplifiers like the INA226 and INA3221 integrate ADCs and digital interfaces, providing signed current measurements directly to microcontrollers. These devices simplify system design by eliminating external ADCs and reference voltage circuits. For high-precision applications, devices like the MAX40080 offer 12-bit resolution with ±0.1% accuracy across the full bidirectional range.4.4 Isolated Current Sense ICIsolated current sensing techniques provide galvanic isolation between the current measurement circuit and the control electronics. This is essential for high-voltage applications, safety-critical systems, and situations requiring ground loop elimination. Several isolation methods are available:Current Transformer (CT) Isolation: Uses magnetic coupling through a transformer core. The primary winding carries the measured current, inducing a proportional voltage in the secondary winding. This method is limited to AC current measurement and provides excellent isolation (typically >4 kV).Hall Effect Sensors: Measure the magnetic field generated by current flow through a conductor. Hall effect sensors can measure both DC and AC currents and provide good isolation. Examples include the ACS712, ACS724, and TMCS1100 series.Isolated Amplifiers: Use capacitive or magnetic isolation to transmit the measurement signal across an isolation barrier. Examples include the AMC1200 (capacitive isolation), Si8920 (magnetic isolation), and ACPL-C87A (optical isolation). These devices typically provide 3-5 kV isolation and can measure both DC and AC currents.Rogowski Coils: Air-core coils that measure the rate of change of current (di/dt). These are ideal for high-frequency AC current measurement and provide inherent isolation.Isolated current sensing is mandatory in applications such as motor drives, solar inverters, electric vehicle charging systems, and industrial power monitoring where high voltages and safety requirements necessitate galvanic isolation between measurement and control circuits.Figure 4. Low-side Current Sensing CircuitⅤ Key Specifications and Selection CriteriaWhen selecting a current sense amplifier, consider the following critical specifications:Common-Mode Voltage Range: Must exceed the maximum voltage on the power rail being monitored. Include margin for transients and voltage spikes.Input Offset Voltage: Determines minimum detectable current. Lower offset voltage (typically <50 µV) enables accurate measurement of small currents.CMRR: Higher values (>100 dB) provide better rejection of common-mode noise and more accurate differential measurements.Bandwidth: Must be sufficient for the application. DC to 100 kHz for most power monitoring; 1 MHz or higher for motor control and fast transient detection.Gain Options: Fixed or programmable gain allows optimization for specific current ranges.Supply Voltage: Must be compatible with system power rails. Many devices operate from 2.7V to 5.5V for easy integration with digital systems.Quiescent Current: Important for battery-powered applications. Modern devices offer quiescent currents as low as 50 µA.Package and Size: SOT-23, SOIC, and DFN packages are common. Smaller packages reduce PCB footprint but may have thermal limitations.Integrated Features: Some devices include comparators, ADCs, digital interfaces (I²C, SPI), alert outputs, and overcurrent protection.Temperature Range and Accuracy: Industrial (-40°C to +125°C) and automotive (-40°C to +150°C) grades are available. Temperature drift should be <2 µV/°C for precision applications.Ⅵ Emerging Trends and Future DevelopmentsThe current sense amplifier market continues to evolve with several notable trends:Higher Integration: Modern devices integrate ADCs, digital interfaces, voltage monitors, and power calculation engines on a single chip, reducing component count and system cost.Wider Voltage Ranges: New amplifiers support common-mode voltages up to 120V or higher, enabling direct monitoring of high-voltage rails without external attenuation.Lower Power Consumption: Shutdown modes and ultra-low quiescent current (<50 µA) enable use in battery-powered IoT devices and energy harvesting applications.Enhanced Accuracy: Improved manufacturing processes deliver offset voltages below 25 µV and gain errors below 0.1%, enabling precision measurements with smaller sense resistors and lower power loss.Automotive Qualification: AEC-Q100 qualified devices for electric vehicles, battery management systems, and 48V automotive systems.Digital Configurability: Software-programmable gain, filtering, and alert thresholds enable flexible, adaptive current monitoring systems.Multi-Channel Integration: Devices like the INA3221 integrate multiple current sense channels for simultaneous monitoring of multiple power rails.Ⅶ ConclusionAs an essential component of modern electronics, current sense amplifiers provide high-precision, flexible solutions for a wide array of applications including automotive systems, power management, battery monitoring, motor control, and industrial automation. Devices like the INA280, INA226, MAX40080, and LT6108 offer high-precision current measurement capabilities by accurately sensing voltage drops across shunt resistors. With diverse circuit requirements, a broad range of current sense amplifiers are available, including high-voltage, high-resolution, bidirectional, and isolated variants. The continued evolution of current sense amplifier technology—featuring higher integration, wider voltage ranges, lower power consumption, and enhanced digital connectivity—ensures these devices will remain critical components in next-generation power management and monitoring systems. When selecting a current sense amplifier, carefully consider application requirements including voltage range, accuracy, bandwidth, power consumption, and integration features to ensure optimal performance and system reliability. Frequently Asked Questions about Current Sense Amplifier Circuits1. What is a current sense amplifier?Current sense amplifiers (also called current shunt amplifiers) are special-purpose amplifiers that output a voltage proportional to the current flowing in a power rail. They utilize a "current-sense resistor" (shunt resistor) to convert the load current in the power rail to a small voltage, which is then amplified by the current sense amplifier. The currents in the power rail can range from milliamps to 20 A or more, requiring the current-sense resistor to be typically in the range of 1 mΩ to 100 mΩ. These amplifiers are specifically designed to handle high common-mode voltages while accurately measuring small differential voltages. 2. How does a current sense amplifier work?Current sense amplifiers work by measuring the small voltage drop across a shunt resistor placed in series with the load current. According to Ohm's law (V = I × R), the voltage drop is directly proportional to the current. The amplifier's differential inputs measure this voltage drop while rejecting the large common-mode voltage present on the power rail. The amplifier then amplifies the differential signal to produce an output voltage that can be easily measured by ADCs or comparators. Unlike normal differential amplifiers that are powered between two power supply rails (VCC and VEE) and can only handle signals between these rails, current sense amplifiers use specialized input stages that can tolerate input voltages far exceeding their supply voltage without activating ESD protection diodes or causing damage. 3. What are the main types of current sense amplifiers?The main types of current sense amplifiers include:High-Side Current Sense: Measures current between the power supply and load, maintaining ground integrity.Low-Side Current Sense: Measures current between the load and ground, offering simpler implementation.Bidirectional Current Sense: Measures current flow in both directions, essential for battery monitoring and regenerative systems.Isolated Current Sense: Provides galvanic isolation using magnetic, capacitive, or optical coupling for high-voltage and safety-critical applications. 4. What is the main purpose of a current sense amplifier?The main purpose of a current sense amplifier is to accurately measure current flow in power rails by amplifying the small voltage drop across a shunt resistor. These amplifiers can detect and amplify very small voltages, typically in the 10 to 100 mV range, while rejecting large common-mode voltages. Applications include power management, battery monitoring, motor control, overcurrent protection, system diagnostics, and energy measurement. Current sense amplifiers enable precise current monitoring for efficiency optimization, fault detection, and system protection. They can measure current flowing in a single direction (unidirectional) or in both directions (bidirectional) through the sense resistor, depending on the application requirements. 5. What is the difference between a voltage amplifier and a current sense amplifier?While both are amplifiers, they serve different purposes and have distinct specifications. Standard voltage amplifiers (operational amplifiers) are general-purpose devices designed to amplify signals within their power supply rails. They typically have moderate CMRR (80-90 dB), input voltage ranges limited to their supply voltages, and are not optimized for measuring very small differential voltages in the presence of large common-mode voltages.Current sense amplifiers, in contrast, are specialized devices optimized for measuring small voltage drops across shunt resistors. They feature very high CMRR (100-120 dB or higher), ultra-low input offset voltage (<50 µV), and the ability to handle common-mode voltages far exceeding their supply voltage. For example, a current sense amplifier powered by 3.3V can safely measure voltages on a 48V power rail. Current sense amplifiers use specialized input architectures that prevent ESD protection diodes from conducting when input voltages exceed supply rails, enabling them to operate in high-voltage environments. They are specifically designed for DC precision, high common-mode rejection, and wide common-mode voltage ranges—characteristics essential for accurate current measurement in power management applications. 6. How do I select the right shunt resistor value?Shunt resistor selection involves balancing several factors: voltage drop, power dissipation, and measurement accuracy. The voltage drop should be large enough for accurate measurement (typically 50-100 mV at full-scale current) but small enough to minimize power loss. Use the formula R = V / I, where V is the desired voltage drop and I is the maximum current. For example, for 1A measurement with 50 mV drop: R = 0.05V / 1A = 0.05Ω (50 mΩ). Power dissipation is calculated as P = I² × R. For 1A through 50 mΩ: P = 1² × 0.05 = 0.05W (50 mW). Select a resistor with adequate power rating (typically 2-4× calculated power) and low temperature coefficient (<50 ppm/°C) for stable measurements. Consider resistor tolerance (typically 1% or better) as it directly affects measurement accuracy. 7. What are the key advantages of high-side vs. low-side current sensing?High-side sensing places the shunt resistor between the power supply and load, maintaining ground integrity and enabling detection of all fault conditions including ground shorts. It provides better system diagnostics but requires amplifiers with high CMRR and wide common-mode voltage range. Low-side sensing places the shunt resistor between load and ground, offering simpler implementation and lower cost since common-mode voltage is near ground. However, it disrupts ground reference and cannot detect ground faults. High-side sensing is preferred for safety-critical applications, battery monitoring, and systems requiring fault detection, while low-side sensing is suitable for cost-sensitive applications where ground disruption is acceptable. 8. Can current sense amplifiers measure AC current?Yes, many current sense amplifiers can measure AC current, provided their bandwidth is sufficient for the frequency of interest. The amplifier's bandwidth must be at least 10× the highest frequency component of the AC signal for accurate measurement. For example, measuring 60 Hz AC requires minimum 600 Hz bandwidth. Most modern current sense amplifiers offer bandwidths from 100 kHz to several MHz. For AC-only measurements (where DC component is not needed), current transformers or Rogowski coils provide better performance. For combined DC and AC measurement (such as motor current with PWM ripple), use a current sense amplifier with adequate bandwidth and consider adding filtering to reduce high-frequency noise while preserving the signals of interest.

IntroductionSeries Circuits and Parallel Circuits are main circuit connections, also a third type of circuit involves the dual use of series and parallel connections in a circuit. Circuit connection is a kind of principle for layout diagram that shows the relationship between components drawn by physical and electrical standardized symbols for research and engineering planning. As we all know, there are two types of circuit we can make, called series and parallel. They provide solutions for analyzing performance, installing electronic and electrical products.CatalogIntroductionⅠ Series Circuits and Parallel CircuitsⅡ Series Circuits and Parallel Circuits Calculation2.1 Resistors2.2 Capacitors2.3 Inductor2.4 Switch2.5 Power Supply2.6 Series and Parallel Circuits RulesⅢ Six Circuit Design Software Tools Introduction3.1 Protel PCB Design Platform3.2 Altium Designer3.3 Quartus II3.4 Electronics Workbench (EWB)3.5 NI Multisim3.6 Allegro PCBⅣ Frequently Asked Questions about Series and Parallel CircuitsⅠ Series Circuits and Parallel CircuitsWhat is the difference between series and parallel circuits? Just have a look of the following video and words description about series circuits and parallel circuits to get the basics and differences of them.Series vs Parallel CircuitsSeries connection is one of the basic ways to connect circuit elements. The circuit formed by connecting various electrical parts in series. In the series circuit, the current through each part is equal.Parallel connection is another connection method between electrical components. Components connected in parallel are connected in multiple paths so that the current can split up, and the same voltage is applied to each component.Ⅱ Series Circuits and Parallel Circuits Calculation👉 Resistors in Series and Parallel Circuits2.1 ResistorsResistors in SeriesAs shown in the figure, n resistors connect in series. Now connect the power supply to both ends of this series circuit. According to Kirchhoff’s current law, the current given from the power supply is equal to the current through each resistor, so .According to Ohm’s law, the voltage across the k-th resistor is equal to the current through multiplied by its resistance .According to Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the voltage across the power supply is equal to the algebraic sum of the voltage across all resistors.Therefore, the equivalent resistance Req of n resistors in series is .According to Ohm’s law, the voltage across the power source is equal to the given current times the equivalent resistance .Pay attention to the voltage shared by the resistors of the series circuit is proportional.Conductance G is the reciprocal of resistance R, so the equivalent conductance of n resistors in series is Among them, Gn is the conductance of the n-th resistor.For the simple case of two resistors in series, the equivalent conductance is .Resistors in ParallelWhen linear resistors connect in parallel, the conductance (the reciprocal of resistance) is equal to the sum of the conductances of the parallel resistors, which is called the equivalent conductance, and the reciprocal is called the equivalent resistance. For example, the resistances of R1, R2, and R3, their conductances are G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The total resistance R and total conductance G of the parallel circuit are calculated according to the formula .Note: Calculate the total series and parallel resistance of a circuit using Apogeeweb's Parallel and Series Resistor Calculator. 👉 Capacitors in Series and Parallel Circuits2.2 CapacitorsCapacitors in SeriesAs shown in the figure, n capacitors are connected in series. From the definition of capacitor, it can be obtained that the current passing through the k-th capacitor is equal to its capacitance multiplied by the voltage change rate across it:According to Kirchhoff’s current law, the current i given from the power source (ac or dc) is equal to the current passing through each capacitor, so According to Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the voltage across the power supply is equal to the algebraic sum of the voltage across all capacitors:The voltage change rate of the power supply end is .Therefore, the equivalent capacitance Ceq of n capacitors in series is Each capacitor has a “voltage rating” set by its manufacturer. Assuming that the working voltage exceeds the voltage rating of the capacitor, it may cause capacitor failure. In order to avoid it, several similar capacitors can be connected in series to make the algebraic sum of the voltage rating greater than the operating voltage. However, this will also reduce the equivalent capacitance of the circuit.Capacitors in ParallelAs shown in the figure, n capacitors are connected in parallel. From the definition of capacitor, it can be obtained that the current ik through the k-th capacitor is equal to its capacitance Ck multiplied by the voltage change rate across it:According to Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the voltage across the power supply is equal to the voltage across each capacitor:According to Kirchhoff’s current law, the current given from the power source (dc or ac) is equal to the algebraic sum of the current through each capacitor: Therefore, the equivalent capacitance Ceq of n capacitors in parallel is .Note: Calculate the total series and parallel capacitance of a circuit using Apogeeweb's Series and Parallel Capacitance Calculator. 👉 Inductors in Series and Parallel Circuits2.3 InductorInductor in SeriesAs shown in the figure, n inductors are connected in series. According to the method described above, the equivalent inductance can be calculated as .Among them, Ln is the inductance of the n-th inductor.The magnetic field generated by the inductor will be coupled with the winding coil of the adjacent inductor. So it is difficult to avoid the mutual influence of the adjacent inductors. The mutual inductance M of physical quantities can give a measure of this influence.A series circuit composed of two inductors L1 and L2, and the mutual inductance Ms.1) Assuming that the magnetic fields or fluxes generated by two inductors are in the same direction, the equivalent mutual inductance Leq is expressed by the equation: 2) Assuming that the magnetic fields or fluxes generated by two inductors are in opposite directions, Leq is expressed by the equation:For a parallel circuit with three or more inductors, it is necessary to consider the self-inductance of each inductor and the mutual inductance among the inductors, which makes the calculation more complicated. The equivalent inductance is the algebraic sum of all self-inductance and mutual inductance.For example, a series circuit composed of three inductors will involve three self-inductances and six mutual inductances. The self-inductances of the three inductors are M11, M22, and M33, and the mutual inductances are M12, M13, M21, M23, M31, and M32.Equivalent inductance is .Since the mutual inductance between any two inductors is equal to each other, the latter two sets of mutual inductance can be combined:Inductors in ParallelN ideal inductors without mutual inductance are connected in parallel. Similar to the method described above, the equivalent inductance Leq can be calculated as .Among them, Li is the inductance of the i-th inductor.The above equation describes an ideal case where n inductors are connected in parallel without mutual inductance.A parallel circuit composed of two inductors with inductances L1 and L2 and mutual inductance M:1) Assuming that the magnetic fields or fluxes generated by two inductors are in the same direction, the equivalent mutual inductance Leq is expressed by the equation: 2) Assuming that the magnetic fields or fluxes generated by two inductors are in opposite directions, Leq is expressed by the equation:For a parallel circuit with three or more inductors, it is necessary to consider the self-inductance of each inductor and the mutual inductance among the inductors, which makes the calculation more complicated. 👉 Switch in Series and Parallel Circuits2.4 SwitchSwitch in SeriesTwo or more switches are connected in series to form an or gate circuit. Assuming a power supply is connected to both ends of the circuit, current will only flow when all switches are closed.Switch in ParallelTwo or more switches are connected in parallel to form an or gate circuit. Assuming that a power supply is connected to both ends of this circuit, even though any one of the switches is closed, current will flow. 👉 Power Supply in Series and Parallel Circuits2.5 Power SupplyPower Supply in SeriesFor example, assuming that several cells in the battery pack are connected in series to form a power source, the voltage across the power source is the algebraic sum of the voltages across all cells.Power Supply in ParallelFor example, assuming that a battery pack uses several single batteries with the same voltage connected in parallel as a power source, the voltage across the power source is equal to the voltage across the single battery.Note: Get more info from Switching Power Supply Circuit Diagram with Explanation. 2.6 Series and Parallel Circuits RulesHow to judge whether the electrical circuits are connected in series or in parallel? Series and parallel are the two most basic forms of circuit connection, and there are certain differences between them. So get to know their basic characteristics well according to the following specific methods.(1) Visual CheckLook at the connection form of electrical parts in the circuit. The one by one in sequence is series; the one paralleled between two points of the circuit is parallel.(2) Current FlowWhen the current flowing from the positive pole of the power supply to each element in turn shows that the circuit is in series; when the current flows to two branches and get together at a certain place finally, it indicates that the circuit is in parallel.(3) Removing ComponentsRemove one electrical part at will to see whether other electrical components are working normally. If the circuit can continue to work, then the connection relationship of this circuit is in parallel, otherwise, it is in series. Ⅲ Six Circuit Design Software Tools Introduction3.1 Protel PCB Design PlatformProtel PCB is a CAD software for the circuit industry launched by Protel Systems Pty Ltd in 1985, and has rebranded to Altium Designer. It has many advantages compared with many EDA software for circuit designers. Almost all circuit companies use it. The early Protel PCB was mainly used as a printed board automatic wiring tool. It ran in DOS and had fewer hardware requirements. It can run under the 1M memory of a 286 machine without a hard disk. However, it’s less functional, only electrical schematic drawing and printed board design functions, and the PCB layout rate of automatic wiring is also low.It is a professional circuit board drawing tool. It includes electrical schematic drawing, analog circuit and digital circuit mixed signal simulation, multilayer PCB design, programmable logic device design, chart generation, circuit table generation, and supports macro operations, etc. And it has a client/server architecture. PROTEL is also compatible with some other design software file formats, such as ORCAD, PSPICE, EXCEL, etc. Using automatic routing of multi-layer can achieve 100% layout rate of high-density PCBs.3.2 Altium DesignerAltium Designer is one of the most popular of the high end PCB design software packages on the market today. It provides a single, unified application that incorporates all the technologies and capabilities necessary for complete electronic products, which mainly runs on the Windows operating system. This software provides designers with brand-new design solutions through the perfect integration of schematic design, circuit simulation, PCB drawing editing, topology logic automatic routing, signal integrity analysis and design output, etc. When using this software, the quality and efficiency of circuit design can be greatly improved.Fully inheriting the functions and advantages of the previous series of versions of Protel 99SE and Protel DXP, Altium Designer has many improvements and many high-end features. The platform broadens the traditional interface of board-level design and fully integrates FPGA design functions and SOPC design implementation functions, allowing engineers to integrate FPGA in system design with PCB design and embedded design. With these advantages, Altium Designer requires higher computer system performance than the previous version. 3.3 Quartus IIThe Altera Quartus II design software is a multiplatform design environment that easily adapts to your specific needs in all phases of FPGA and CPLD design. In other words, Quartus II software delivers the highest productivity and performance for Altera FPGAs, CPLDs, and HardCopy ASICs. It is a comprehensive CPLD/FPGA development software, and supports schematics, VHDL, VerilogHDL and AHDL (Altera Hardware supports Description Language) and other design input forms. Quartus II embedded with its own synthesizer and simulator, can complete the process of design input to the hardware configuration. It can run in Windows, Linux and Unix. Use Tcl scripts to complete the design process, and it also provides a complete user graphical interface design method. Quartus II has the characteristics of fast running speed, unified interface, centralized function, easy to learn and easy to use.Quartus II provides a fully integrated development which independent of circuit structure, with all the features of digital logic design, including:1. You can use the schematic diagram, structural block diagram, VerilogHDL, AHDL and VHDL to complete the circuit description, and save it as a design entity file.2. Chip (circuit) plane layout wiring editing3. With LogicLock region, users can build and optimize the system, and add subsequent modules that have little or no impact on the performance of the original system.4. Powerful logic synthesis tool5. Complete circuit function simulation and sequential logic simulation6. Timing analysis and critical path delay analysis7. Signaltap ii logic analyzer can be used for embedded logic analysis.8. Support the addition and creation of software source files, and link them to generate programming files.9. Use the combined compilation method to complete the overall design process at one time.10. Automatically locate compilation errors.11. Efficient period programming and verification12. Read into standard EDIF, VHDL and Verilog netlist files.13. It can generate VHDL and Verilog netlist files used by third-party EDA software.3.4 Electronics Workbench (EWB)EWB is is a mixed-mode SPICE-based electronics design and simulation tool, launched by Interactive Image Technology Co., Ltd. in the early 1990s. It is used for mixed simulation of analog circuits and digital circuits. With this powerful software, you can directly see the output of various circuits on the screen.Compared with other EDA software, EWB is a smaller software, and its function is relatively single. However. its simulation function is very powerful, almost 100% simulation results of real circuits. It provides parts such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, frequency sweepers, logic analyzers, digital signal generators, logic converters, etc., and its device library contains many transistor components, integrated circuits and digital gate circuit chips from large companies.  In addition, components that are not in the device library can also be imported externally. Among many circuit simulation software, EWB is the easiest to use. Its working interface is very intuitive. The schematic diagram and various tools are in the same window. People who have never touched it can use the software proficiently with a short-time learning. For electronic designers, it is an excellent EDA tool. For many circuits, you can know its results without using a soldering iron. If you want to change components or change parameters, you only need to click the mouse. It can also be used as an auxiliary teaching software for electrical knowledge.3.5 NI MultisimMultisim is a Windows-based simulation tool launched by National Instruments (NI) Co., Ltd.. It is industry standard SPICE simulation and circuit design software for analog, digital, and power electronics in education and research. It includes graphical input of circuit schematics, circuit hardware description language input, and has rich simulation analysis capabilities. Engineers can use it to interactively build circuit schematics and simulate the circuit.With SPICE simulation, designers can quickly capture, simulate and analyze new designs without knowing SPICE deeply, which also makes it more suitable for electronics education. Through Multisim and virtual instrument technology, PCB designers and electronics educators can complete a complete integrated design process from theory to schematic capture and simulation to prototype design and testing.NI Multisim software is an EDA tool software specially used for electronic circuit simulation and design. As a personal desktop electronic design tool running in Windows, NI Multisim is a complete integrated design environment. Its computer simulation and virtual instrument technology can solve the problem of disconnection between theoretical teaching and actual reality experiment. Students can easily reproduce the theoretical knowledge they have learned through computer simulation, and can use virtual instrument technology to create their own instruments. It has an intuitive graphical interface, abundant components, powerful simulation capabilities, abundant testing instruments and complete analysis methods. NI Multisim software is a not bad teaching tool.3.6 Allegro PCBAllegro PCB is an advanced PCB design routing tool introduced by Cadence. It provides a good and interactive working interface, and powerful and complete functions. Provide the most perfect solution for the current high-speed, high-density, multi-layer complex PCB design and wiring, with the combination of its front-end products Cadence, OrCAD, and Capture. Allegro has a complete constraint setting. Users only need to set the wiring rules as required. The wiring design requirements can be met without violating DRC, thus saving tedious manual inspection time and improving work efficiency. It can also define parameters such as minimum line width or line length to meet the various requirements of today's high-speed circuit board wiring. Allegro PCB enables you to do high-speed design, RF antenna, flex-circuitry, and design for manufacturing (DFM) technology.For the drawing and modification functions of copper foil that the industry attaches great importance to, Allegro provides a simple and convenient inner layer division function, as well as the ability to review the inner layer of the positive and negative film. For copper paving, it can also be divided into dynamic copper or static copper, which can be used for different applications. Dynamic copper parameters can be divided into different levels of settings for all copper, single copper or single object, so as to meet the requirements of different connection effects or spacing values to match the special settings due to design requirements. Ⅳ Frequently Asked Questions about Series and Parallel Circuits1. What is the difference between parallel and series circuits?In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each of the components is the same, and the total current is the sum of the currents flowing through each component. ... In a series circuit, every device must function for the circuit to be complete. If one bulb burns out in a series circuit, the entire circuit is broken. 2. What are the rules for series and parallel circuits?Rules regarding Series and Parallel CircuitsVoltage drops add to equal total voltage.All components share the same (equal) current.Resistances add to equal total resistance. 3. What are the similarities and differences between series and parallel circuits?Series circuits are designed so that the current through each component is the same, whereas parallel circuits are designed so that the voltage through each component is the same. 4. Why is resistance different in series and parallel?In a series circuit, the output current of the first resistor flows into the input of the second resistor; therefore, the current is the same in each resistor. In a parallel circuit, all of the resistor leads on one side of the resistors are connected together and all the leads on the other side are connected together. 5. Which software is best for circuit design?Based on Proto-Electronics client preferences, we have drawn up the top 10 best electronics CAD software programmes.EagleAltiumProteusKiCadCadence OrCAD PCB DesignerDesignSparkProtelCadstar

IntroductionAlarm Circuits and Control Circuits are pretty common in daily life. A control circuit is a special type of circuit used to control the operation of a completely separate power circuit. Alarm circuit is a security circuit to reduce life loss and poverty under the excepted prevailing conditions. Both are quite famous and you probably could have seen plenty of different versions of them. Here, we will introduce several available home/office hobby circuits for smoking alarm, temperature controlling and timing, with their design principles, and component selection. They will provide more convenience for your daily life.A Simple Guide to Electronic Components in CircuitsCatalogIntroductionⅠ Indoor Monitoring Circuit DesignⅡ Smoke Alarm Circuit DesignⅢ Temperature Controlled Circuit Using NE555Ⅳ Temperature Sensor Circuit for Temp MeasuringⅤ Water Tank Temperature Controlled ProjectⅥ Cyclic Timing Circuit DiagramⅦ Indoor Overvoltage Protection Circuit DesignⅧ Temperature Fan Controller DiagramⅨ Water Boiling Alarm Circuit DesignⅩ FAQEvery alarm circuit and control circuit is composed of a number of basic components connected together to achieve the desired performance. The following lists some common and simple alarm and control circuits diagrams to share different ideas for protecting your home/office and making your life more easier.Ⅰ Indoor Monitoring Circuit DesignThe monitor can detect infrared rays emitted by the human body, and when a person enters the monitoring area, it can sound for alarm. It is suitable for homes, offices, warehouses, laboratories and other important occasions.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 1. Infrared Detection Alarm CircuitThe device consists of an infrared sensor, a signal amplifier circuit, a voltage comparator, a delay circuit and an audio alarm circuit. When the sensor IC1 detects the infrared signal radiated by the human body in front, it outputs a weak electrical signal from the pin②. It is amplified by the first-stage amplifying circuit formed by the transistor VT1, and then input to the operational amplifier IC2 through C2 with high gain and low-noise amplification. IC3 acts as a voltage comparator. Its pin⑤ reference voltage is provided by R10 and VD1. When the signal voltage output by IC2 pin① pass to the IC3 pin⑥, the voltages of the two input terminals are compared. At this time, IC3 pin⑦ changes from the high level to the low level. IC4 is an alarm delay circuit, formed by R14 and C6. Its continuous time is about 1 minute.When IC3 pin⑦ becomes low level, C6 discharges through VD2, IC4 pin② becomes low level,  which is compared with IC4 pin③ reference voltage. When it is lower than its reference voltage, IC4 pin① changes to high level, VT2 is turned on, and the buzzer BL is powered on and emits an alarm sound. After the infrared signal of the humans disappears, IC3 pin⑦ outputs to high level, and VD2 is cut off at this time. Since the voltage at both ends of C6 cannot change suddenly, charge C6 slowly through R14. When the voltage at both ends of C6 is higher than its reference voltages, IC4 pin① becomes low level for about 1 minute. That is, the alarm time lasts for 1 minute.The power-on delay circuit is composed of VT3, R20, and C8. It is mainly to prevent alarming immediately when powering on, so that the user has enough time to leave the monitoring site, and at the same time can prevent a false alarm occurred during a power cut. The device uses 9-12V DC power supply, with T step-down, full-bridge rectification, and C10 filtering. The detection circuit uses IC5 for power supply, and automatic non-stop conversion with AC and DC. 👉 Components SelectionIC1 adopts imported device Q74, the wavelength is 9~10um. IC2 uses op-amp LM358, which has high gain and low power consumption. IC3 and IC4 are dual voltage comparators LM393 with low power consumption and low offset voltage. Among them, C2 and C5 must use tantalum capacitors with small drain electrodes, otherwise the debugging will be affected. R12 is the key element to adjust sensitivity, and linear high-precision sealed type should be selected. Other components can be selected as shown in the circuit diagram. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentWhen making, a Fresnel lens is installed in front of the IC1 sensor. Since the frequency range of the human body is 0.1~10Hz, it is necessary to use the Fresnel lens to multiply the frequency of the human body. After installation finished, connect the power supply for debugging. Let a person walk about 7-10m in front of the detector, adjust R12 in the circuit, and make the buzzer alarm. As long as the other parts are of good quality and welded correctly, they can work normally without debugging. The static working current of this machine is about 10mA. It will enter the waiting state about 1 minute after the power is turned on. As long as someone enters the monitoring area, it will alarm, and stops in 1 minute. In addition, if the buzzer is changed to a relay to drive other devices, it will be used for other controls. Ⅱ Smoke Alarm Circuit DesignThis smoke alarmer can be used in family rooms or various places where smoking is forbidden (such as hospitals, conference rooms, etc.). When someone smokes, the no-smoking warning device will emit a warning sound of "No Smoking!" to remind the smoker to stop smoking consciously.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 2. Smoke Alarm CircuitThe no-smoking warning circuit is composed of a smoke detector, a monostable trigger, a voice generator and a power amplifier circuit. The smoke detector consists of potentiometer RP1, resistor R1 and gas sensor. The monostable trigger has time-base integrated circuit IC1, resistor R2, capacitor C1, and potentiometer RP2. The voice generator circuit is composed of voice integrated circuit IC2, resistors R3-R5, capacitor C2 and Zener diode VS. The audio power amplifier circuit includes transistor V, boost power amplifier module IC3, resistors R6 and R7, capacitors C3 and C4, and speaker BL.When the gas sensor doesn’t detect smoke, the resistance value between A and B is relatively large. IC1 pin2 is high level (higher than 2VCC/3), pin3 outputs low level, while voice generator circuit and the audio power amplifier circuit does not work. When someone smokes and the gas sensor detects the smoke, the resistance value between the A and B becomes smaller, causing the voltage of IC1 pin2 to drop. When the voltage of this pin drops to VCC/3, IC1 pin3 changes from low level to high level. Pass through current limiter R3, filter C2 and Zener diode VS, the high level will generate 4.2V DC voltage, which is supplied to voice IC2 and crystal arm. After IC2 energizes and works, it outputs a voice electrical signal. After the signal is amplified by V and IC3, it makes BL to emit a voice warning sound of "No Smoking!" 👉 Components SelectionRl~R7 selects 1/4W carbon film resistor or metal film resistor for use. RP1 and RP2 can choose small linear potentiometer or variable resistor. C1, C2 and C4 all use aluminum electrolytic capacitors with a withstand voltage of 16V; C3 uses monolithic capacitors. VS selects the silicon Zener diode of 1/2W, 4.2V for use. V uses S9013 or C8050 silicon NPN transistors. IC1 uses the NE555 timer IC; IC2 uses the voice integrated circuit; lC3 uses the WVH68 boost power amplifier thick-mode IC. BL selects 8Ω, 1~3W electrodynamic speakers. The gas sensor is MQK-2 type sensor. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentThis no-smoking warning device can be used as a smoke alarm to detect fires or harmful gases, and combustible gases. Adjusting the RP1 resistance can change the heating current of the gas sensor (usually about 130mA). And adjusting the RP2 resistance can change the sensitivity of the monostable trigger circuit. Ⅲ Temperature Controlled Circuit Using NE555This circuit is an automatic temperature controller composed of a 555 timer IC and a few peripheral components. Because the voltage at each point in the circuit comes from the same DC power supply, it does not need a high-performance regulated one. Using the capacitor step-down method can work reliably. The circuit components are low in price, small in size, and easy to self-made under amateur conditions. The automatic temperature controller made by this circuit can be used for electric heating control in industrial production and household use, with good effect.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 3. 555 Timer Based Circuit for Temperature ControlWhen the temperature is low, the resistance of the thermistor Rt with a negative temperature coefficient is large, the potential of pin2 of the 555 timer IC is lower than 1/3 of the voltage of Ec (about 4V), and its pin3 output high level. At this time, V conducts, the heater RL is heating, and the timing cycle starts. When the temperature of the thermistor Rt is higher than the set value and the timing cycle has not been completed, the heater RL will cut off after the timing cycle stops. When the Rt temperature drops below the set value, V will conduct again and turn on the heater RL for heating. In this way, automatic temperature control can be achieved. 👉 Components SelectionIn this circuit, the thermistor Rt can be a negative temperature coefficient type MF12 or MF53, or other types of negative temperature coefficient thermistors with different resistance values, as long as Rt＋VR1= 2R4 is satisfied under the temperature condition to be controlled. A larger potentiometer VR1 can have a larger adjustment range, but its sensitivity will decrease. The bidirectional thyristor V can also be selected according to the size of the load current. There are no special requirements for other components. Choose according to the parameters given in the circuit diagram. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentThe whole circuit can be installed on PCB. Generally, debugging is not required. The time interval is 1... .1R2×C3, which should be smaller than the thermal time constant of the heating system, but not too small, otherwise it will cause excessive radio frequency interference due to the thyristor V turns on or off rapidly. After installation and debugging, it can be put into a small plastic box, and the thermistor Rt can be led to the required place. Ⅳ Temperature Sensor Circuit for Temp MeasuringThis circuit is a thermometer made by AD590 special integrated temperature sensor, which has the characteristics of simple structure, reliable use and high precision.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 4. Digital Thermometer CircuitAfter the 100V AC voltage passes through the transformer T1, the rectifier bridge stack UR and the capacitor C1, the DC voltage is obtained, and then the adjustable voltage regulator circuit μA723C provides a stable working voltage for the temperature sensor AD590. AD590 is a new type of current output temperature sensor, composed of multiple transistors and resistors with the same parameters. When a specific DC working voltage is applied to both ends of the sensor, if the sensor temperature is 1 degree Celsius, the output current of the sensor changes by 1 μA. The changing current of the sensor is converted into a voltage signal through the resistor R5 and the variable resistor RP2, and then output to the digital meter, which displays the temperature change. 👉 Components SelectionThe IC selects AD590-series temperature sensor. There are no special requirements for other components of this circuit, and can be selected according to the parameters given in the circuit diagram. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentBy adjusting the value of resistor R5 and variable resistor RP2, the sensitivity of the circuit output can be improved. Ⅴ Water Tank Temperature Controlled ProjectAn automatic fish tank water temperature controller uses a negative temperature coefficient thermistor as a temperature sensor to automatically heat the fish tank through heating gas. The transient time of this circuit is small, which is beneficial to the accuracy of temperature control. And it is suitable for various sizes of fish tanks.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 5. Automatic Control of Fishbowl Water TemperatureAfter being rectified by diodes VD2~VD5 and filtered by capacitor C2, a voltage of about 12V is provided to the control part of the circuit. 555 timer is connected as a monostable flip-flop, the transient state is 11s. Set the control temperature to 25ºC, adjust the potentiometer RP, to get RP + Rt = 2R1 ( Rt is the thermistor with negative temperature coefficient). When the temperature is lower than 25ºC, the Rt resistance value increases, and the pin2 of the 555 timer is low level, then the pin3 output changes from low level to high level. The relay K is turned on, and its contact is closed. The heating tube starts to heat until the temperature returns to 25ºC, the Rt resistance value becomes smaller, the pin2 of the 555 timer is at high level, and the pin3 outputs low level. The relay K loses power, its contact is open, and the heating stops. 👉 Components SelectionIC uses NE555, NA555, SL555 and other 555 timer ICs; VD1 uses IN4148 silicon switching diodes; LED uses common light-emitting diodes; VD2~VD5 uses IN4001 silicon rectifier diodes; Rt uses 470Ω MF51-type negative temperature coefficient thermistors at room temperature; RP uses WSW organic solid trimming potentiometer; R1and R2 uses RXT-1/8W carbon film resistors; C1 and C3 uses CD11-16V electrolytic capacitors; C2 uses CT1 ceramic dielectric capacitors; K uses 12V JZC-22F electromagnetic relay. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentThe temperature sensor probe connects the thermistor Rt with wires, and then seals the solder joint with epoxy glue, to avoid water erosion. As long as the circuit is correct in the DIY process, this circuit is easy to operate. If the component performance is good, it can be used without debugging after installation. Ⅵ Cyclic Timing Circuit DiagramThe circuit can set the cycle time of the equipment and each time it works, allowing the equipment to work continuously according to the set time. This circuit can be applied to control occasions such as timing pumping, timing ventilation, and timing cut off.👍 Circuit Working ModelFgiure 6. Cycle Timing CircuitAfter the circuit is stepped down through the capacitor C2 and the bleeder resistor R3, and then rectified by the bridge stack IC2, and stabilized by VD2, a DC voltage of about 12V is obtained to supply power to IC1 and other circuits. IC1 is a 14-bit binary counter/frequency divider integrated circuit. A clock oscillator with a certain frequency is formed by the internal circuits of R1, R2, C1 and IC1 to provide clock pulses for timing IC1. When the circuit is powered on, it first enters the working gap waiting time of the device. IC1 internally realizes the delay by counting and dividing the clock pulse.  When the timing is up (according to the parameters in the figure, about 3 hours), the Q14 terminal of IC1 outputs high level, making the transistor V conducts. The relay KA gets to work, and drives the controlled equipment to start working. At this time, IC1 starts to count the working time of the device again. When the timing expires (according to the parameters in the figure, about 20 minutes), the Q14 terminal outputs low level. So that V is cut off and the device stops working. And meanwhile, IC1 automatically resets and starts the next timing. So that the device can perform timing cycle according to requirements. In the figure, VL is a working indicator. 👉 Components SelectionIntegrated circuit IC1 chooses 14-bit binary counter/frequency divider CD4066, or CC4066 or other digital circuit integrated blocks with the same function. IC2 selects a 1A, 50V bridge stack, or can be connected with four 1N4007 diodes. Transistor V uses NPN-type transistor 8050, and other transistors such as 9013 or 3DG12 can also be used. VD1 selects rectifier diode 1N4007; VD1 selects 1W, 12V silicon regulator tube, such as 1N4742; VD3 ~VD5 use switching diodes 1N4148; VL selects ordinary light-emitting diodes. Resistors R1, R2, R4, R6 and R7 use 1/4W metal film resistors; R3 and R5 use 1/2W carbon film resistors. C1 selects polyester or monolithic capacitors; C2 selects polypropylene capacitors with a withstand voltage of 450V and above; C3 selects aluminum electrolytic capacitors with a withstand voltage of 16V. Relay KA chooses a miniature relay with a coil voltage of 12V, and the contacts capacity is determined according to the power of the controlled device. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentAfter the circuit is installed, it can work normally without debugging. When you need to adjust the control time, you can adjust the parameters of R1, and C1. Also you can change the position of the IC1 output control terminal (Q4 ~Q14). Ⅶ Indoor Overvoltage Protection Circuit DesignBecause the instability of the mains, the household appliances often affected, their service life may reduce. In serious cases, it is easy to burn out due to voltage surge. The circuit described in this example can solve this problem well.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 7. Overvoltage Protection Circuit for AppliancesThe mains supply provides a stable 12V working voltage for the switch integrated circuit via C1, VD1, and DW1. VD3, R2 and RP1 form a voltage divider sampling circuit. When the mains voltage is normal, DW2 cannot be turned on, the working voltage of TWH8778 pin⑤ is lower than 1.6V. The relay J does not pull in, and the mains supplies the CZ socket through the J-1 normally closed contact. When the mains voltage is high than the normal setting, DW2 breaks down, the potential of TWH8778 pin⑤ rises to 1.6V, causing the IC to flip, pin ③ outputs high level. At this time, the relay is pulled in, and the electrical power supply is immediately cut off, avoiding the overvoltage affects electrical appliances. 👉 Components SelectionC1 uses 0.47µ/400V electrolytic capacitor, relay J uses 6V DC contactor; RP uses ordinary trimming potentiometer, chip IC can be TWH8778-type electronic switch or TWH8752-type electronic switch. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentAfter the device is welded correctly, connect the mains power to the input end of the voltage regulator, cooperate with the voltage regulator and carefully adjust RP1, so that the relay J is closed when the voltage is 250V, and then the circuit is connected to the mains power grid. Ⅷ Temperature Fan Controller DiagramThis is an automatic fan temperature controlled governor, which can automatically adjust the speed according to the temperature change. The circuit can be adjusted, so it can be used for the control of other electrical equipment.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 8. Automatic Temperature Control and Speed Regulation in Fan CircuitThe IC in the picture is a 555 timer IC, which forms a multivibrator with components of R2, R3 and C2. It can send out a rectangular wave signal with an adjustable duty cycle. When the temperature changes, the resistance value of the thermistor changes, so the duty cycle of the square wave output by the multivibrator changes. Adjusting the conduction angle of the bidirectional thyristor VT changes the voltage across the fan electrodes, which automatically adjusts the speed of the electric fan. 👉 Components SelectionThe integrated circuit IC selects NE555 timer, and models such as LM555 and TLC555 can also be used. VT is a bidirectional thyristor, its withstand voltage should be above 400V, and the rated current should be reasonably selected according to the capacity of the electric fan to be controlled. Resistor R1～R5 can choose ordinary 1/8 or 1/4W carbon film resistors; Rt is a negative temperature coefficient thermistor, and can choose a thermistor with a resistance of about 10KΩ at room temperature. Capacitor C1 uses ordinary aluminum electrolytic capacitors; Capacitors C2 and C3 are polyester capacitors. VD is a Zener diode with a steady voltage of 9.1V. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentYou can make your own PCB, or use a universal one. After the circuit is installed, the temperature of the thermistor Rt can be artificially changed to observe the speed of the fan motor. If the temperature control effect is not ideal, the resistance value or temperature change range of the thermistor can be adjusted appropriately. Ⅸ Water Boiling Alarm Circuit DesignOnce the water boils in the kitchen, if it is not turned gas off in time, the boiling water will overflow and extinguish the flame. The gas may spill, which is very unsafe. This problem can be solved by using the water alarm.👍 Circuit Working ModelFigure 9. Boiling Water Alarm CircuitThis circuit uses thermistor as the temperature sensing element. When the water temperature rises, the resistance of the thermistor decreases and the potential at point A increases. When the potential at point A is higher than the conversion voltage of the IC-1 inverter, the IC -1 will output low level, IC-2 will output high level. Making the audio oscillator composed of IC-3 and IC-4 work, and the piezoelectric ceramic sheet makes sound. When IC-2 outputs low level, the audio oscillator doesn’t work, and the piezoelectric ceramic chip is silent. 👉 Components SelectionIC uses C066 two input terminal four NAND gate, working voltage 3V~18V, power supply is 3V~6V; RT thermistor selection resistance value is about 1kΩ; piezoelectric ceramic chip diameter is 27mm; resistor selection is ordinary 1/8 or 1/4W metal film resistors. 👉 DIY and AdjustmentFind two starter shells of waste fluorescent lamps, use iron sheet as a clip, close the tops of the two starters, and fasten them with screws. One of the starters can be set on the mouth of the kettle to obtain the temperature of the water. The two pins of the thermistor are welded on the cover of the other starter and put into the shell. Note that the thermistor must be close to the inner shell wall to facilitate heat transfer. Solder the outer lead of the thermistor and the temperature sensor. After all the components are welded and checked, you can turn on the power for debugging. Put the temperature sensor on the mouth of the kettle, and adjust the RP when the water boils to make the piezoelectric ceramic sheet sound. Repeat it several times before this circuit can be used normally. If you want to change the sound frequency, you can change the C2 capacity. If you feel that the sound is light, you can connect an external transistor to the IC-4 output terminal to amplify the sound.  Ⅹ FAQ1. How do you make a security alarm circuit?The cathode of the photodiode is connected to the supply while the anode is connected to a 10KΩ resistor. Another end of the resistor is connected to the ground. The anode terminal of the photodiode is also connected to pin 5 of the LM358 op-amp, which is the non-inverting terminal. 2. What is the technique of alarm circuits?In a closed-circuit system, the electric circuit is closed when the door is shut. This means that as long as the door is closed, electricity can flow from one end of the circuit to the other. But if somebody opens the door, the circuit is opened, and electricity can't flow. This triggers an alarm. 3. What is a security alarm circuit?This circuit will help you to guard your precious documents as well as jewelry from intruders or theft. All you need is just to place this circuit in front of the locker or below the mat so when any unknown person comes and walks over the switch, the circuit will trigger and the sound of an alarm comes. 4. What type of circuits are security alarms made of?The simplest type of contact-operated security circuit consists of an alarm bell (or a buzzer or electronic 'siren sound' generator, etc.), wired in series with a normally-open (n.o.) close-to-operate switch; the combination being wired across a suitable battery supply, as shown in the basic 'door-bell' alarm circuit ... 5. What are the three basic parts of an alarm system?The main components of an alarm system would be a sensor, a camera, a motion detector, a buzzer a flash light and batteries. It is a component that is usually used to detect noise or movement. Sensors are usually connected to the circuit. 

CatalogCatalogⅠ Oscillation DefinitionⅡ Definition of Voltage Controlled OscillatorⅢ Types of Voltage Controlled Oscillator  3.1 Harmonic Oscillators  3.2 Relaxation OscillatorsⅣ Working Principle of Voltage Controlled OscillatorⅤ Voltage Controlled Oscillator Requirements  5.1 VCO tuning range  5.2 VCO tuning gain  5.3 VCO V/f slopeⅥ Voltage Controlled Oscillator FeedbackⅦ Colpitts & Clapp Voltage Controlled Oscillator CircuitsⅧ Voltage Controlled Oscillator Varactor Issues  8.1 Abrupt  8.2 Hyper-abruptⅨ FAQⅠ Oscillation DefinitionAn oscillator is a circuit that, without any input, generates a continuous, repeated, alternating waveform. Basically, oscillators transform unidirectional current flow from a DC source into an alternating waveform that, as determined by its circuit components, is of the desired frequency. By observing the behavior of the LC tank circuit shown in Figure 1 below, which uses an inductor L and a completely pre-charged capacitor C as its components, the basic theory behind the operation of oscillators can be understood. In this case, the capacitor initially begins discharging through the inductor, which results in the conversion of its electrical energy into an electromagnetic field that can be stored in the inductor. There will be no current flow in the circuit until the capacitor discharges fully.The stored electromagnetic field, however, would have created a back-emf by then, which results in the flow of current through the circuit in the same direction as before. This flow of current through the circuit continues until the electromagnetic field collapses, resulting in the electromagnetic energy back-conversion into electrical form, allowing the cycle to repeat. Now, however, the capacitor would have been charged with the opposite polarity, because of which an oscillating waveform is obtained as the output. However, because of the resistance of the circuit, the oscillations that occur due to the inter-conversion between the two energy-forms will not continue indefinitely as they will be subject to the impact of energy loss. The amplitude of these oscillations gradually decreases to zero as a result, making them damp. This means that the energy loss needs to be balanced to achieve continuous oscillations and constant amplitude. However, in order to achieve oscillations of constant amplitude, it should be noted that the energy supplied should be precisely regulated and must be equal to that of the energy lost.Ⅱ Definition of Voltage Controlled OscillatorA voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is an output signal oscillator whose output can be varied over a particular frequency range that is controlled by the DC voltage input. It is an oscillator whose output frequency is directly connected by its input to the voltage applied (FM control).A main parameter of the VCO is the sweeping time: this is the minimum time required to turn or sweep from minimum frequency to maximum frequency or reverse. From an external analog signal, the VCO can be modulated by amplitude (AM). To produce the requested RF power level, an external power amplifier may be required.Ⅲ Types of Voltage Controlled OscillatorThe VCOs can be categorized based on the output waveform:• Harmonic Oscillators• Relaxation Oscillators3.1 Harmonic OscillatorsThe output waveform that harmonic oscillators generate is sinusoidal. This can also apply to the oscillator that regulates the linear voltage. The LC and Crystal oscillators are examples. Here, the capacitance of the diode varies according to the voltage around the diode. This in turn alters the LC circuit's capacitance. Hence, the frequency of the output will change. The advantages are frequency stability in terms of power supply, noise and temperature, and frequency control precision. The only downside is that this form of the oscillator on monolithic ICs can not be implemented effortlessly.3.2 Relaxation OscillatorsThe waveform output produced by harmonic oscillators is a screwed tooth. Using the decreased amount of components, this type may provide a wide range of frequency. It can primarily be used in ICs that are monolithic. The oscillators for relaxation may have the following topologies: • Delay-based ring VCOs • Grounded capacitor VCOs • Emitter-coupled VCOs Here: In delay-based ring VCOs, in a ring shape, the gain stages are connected. As the name implies, in every single point, the frequency is connected to the delay. The VCOs of the second and third types act almost equally. The time taken in each stage is directly linked to the capacitor's charging and discharging time.Ⅳ Working Principle of Voltage Controlled Oscillator Using several voltage regulation electronic components such as varactor diodes, transistors, Op-amps, etc., VCO circuits can be built Here, using Op-amps, we are going to address the function of a VCO. Below, the circuit diagram is shown.A square wave is going to be the output waveform of this VCO. The output frequency is, as we know, connected to the control voltage. The first Op-amp will act as an integrator inside this circuit. The arrangement of the voltage divider is applied here. Because of this, half of the control voltage given as input is supplied to the Op-amp 1 positive terminal. At the negative terminal, the same voltage level is retained. This is to maintain the voltage drop, R1 as half of the control voltage, across the resistor. The current flowing from the R1 resistor passes through the MOSFET when the MOSFET is in good condition. The R2 has half of the resistance, the same drop in voltage and twice the current as of the R1's. So, the attached capacitor is charged by the extra current. To supply this current, the Op-amp 1 should have a gradually increasing output voltage. The current flowing from the R1 resistor passes through the capacitor and gets discharged when the MOSFET is out of order. The output voltage obtained at this time from the Op-amp 1 will decrease. A triangular waveform is therefore produced as the output of Op-amp 1. The Op-amp 2 will act as a catalyst for Schmitt. A triangular wave that is the output of the Op-amp 1 is the input to this Op-amp. If the input voltage is greater than the threshold level, VCC will be the output from the Op-amp 2. If the input voltage is lower than the threshold level, the Op-amp 2 output is zero. The output of the Op-amp 2 is therefore going to be square waves. LM566 IC or IC 566 is an instance of VCO. In fact, it is an integrated 8-pin circuit that can generate double-square wave and triangular wave outputs. Below, the internal circuit is depicted.Ⅴ Voltage Controlled Oscillator RequirementsThere are several parameters that must be considered before the design begins when designing a voltage-regulated oscillator, VCO. These describe the parameters of key performance required for the VCO. 5.1 VCO tuning rangeIt is clear that the oscillator that is powered by voltage must be able to tune over the range that the loop is supposed to work over. This requirement is not always simple to satisfy and, in certain extreme situations, can require the VCO or resonant circuit to be switched. 5.2 VCO tuning gainThe gain of the oscillator regulated by voltage is important. It is calculated per Hz (or V/MHz, etc) in terms of volts. It is the tuning shift for a given change in voltage, as indicated by the units. Any of the overall loop design factors and measurements are influenced by the voltage-controlled oscillator gain.At lower frequencies, the VCO response curves can be shown to be relatively straight. They typically flatten out at higher voltages, however, where the capacitance changes from the variable diodes decrease. 5.3 VCO V/f slopeFor any voltage-driven oscillator used in a phase-locked loop, it is a crucial requirement that the voltage to frequency curve is monotonic, i.e. it always shifts in the same context, usually increasing voltage frequency. If ti alters, as can generally occur in some instances due to spurious resonances, etc., this can cause the loop to become unstable. This must therefore be avoided if the phase-locked loop is to work satisfactorily. This curve shows a slight dip which will result in an unstable phase-locked loop.Phase noise efficiency: In some PLL applications, the phase noise performance of the voltage regulated oscillator is of particular importance - particularly where it is used in frequency synthesizers. Outside of the PLL loop bandwidth, the phase noise output of the voltage-regulated oscillator is the dominant factor in phase noise. While the operation of the PLL reduces close-in noise, there is no reduction in VCO phase noise outside the loop bandwidth. These are some of the main specifications that must be understood from the outset of the VCO design. Careful optimization of the tuned circuit Q, especially the use of variable diodes with as high a Q as possible, selection of the active system, optimization of the oscillator feedback.Ⅵ Voltage Controlled Oscillator FeedbackA VCO can be considered, like any oscillator, as an amplifier and a feedback loop. It is possible to denote the amplifier's gain as A and the feedback as B. For the circuit to oscillate, 360 ° must be the complete phase shift around the loop and unity must be the gain. Signals are fed back around the loop in this manner so that they are addictive and, as a result, any slight disturbance in the loop is fed back and builds up. Because the feedback network is frequency-dependent, the signal is based on one frequency, the feedback network is resonant, and a single frequency signal is produced. A typical emitter circuit is used by many oscillators and thus by VCOs. This in itself generates a 180° phase shift, leaving a further 180° to be given by the feedback network. A typical base circuit where there is no phase shift between the emitter and collector signals (assuming a bipolar transistor is used) can be used by other oscillator or VCO circuits and the phase shift network must provide either 0 ° or 360 °. The device requires a resonant circuit for the oscillator to oscillate on a given frequency to ensure that the oscillation happens on a given frequency. The resonant circuit may be one of a variety of LC resonant circuit configurations, depending on the circuit, or a quartz crystal, etc., in either series or parallel resonance.Ⅶ Colpitts & Clapp Voltage Controlled Oscillator CircuitsThe Colpitts and Clapp oscillator circuits are two commonly used formats for the VCO. Of the two, the most commonly used is the Colpitts circuit, but both are somewhat similar in their configuration. These circuits serve as oscillators because an active device such as a bipolar transistor with capacitors positioned between the base and the emitter (C1) and the emitter and the ground (C2) has been found to fulfill the requirements needed to provide adequate feedback for the output of the oscillator in the correct step. The C1:C2 ratio must be greater than one for the oscillation to take place. The resonant circuit is rendered between the base and ground by adding an inductive function. This consists of only an inductor in the Colpitts circuit, while an inductor and capacitor in series are used in the Clapp circuit.The resonance conditions are that:The capacitance for the overall resonant circuit consists of a series of combinations of the two C1 and C2 series capacitors. The capacitor in the series with the inductor is also used in the series with C1 and C2 in the case of the Clapp oscillator.The capacitance of the series is thus:It is important to change the resonant point of the circuit to make the oscillator tune. This is better accomplished in the case of the Colpitts oscillator, by inserting a capacitor across the indicator. Alternatively, the capacitor may be in series with the inductor for the Clapp oscillator. A circuit where the inductive reactance is located between the base and ground is often favored for high-frequency applications because it is less vulnerable to spurious oscillations and other anomalies.Ⅷ Voltage Controlled Oscillator Varactor IssuesIn order to ensure that the drive frequency in the tuned circuit is not too high, caution must be taken in the design of the circuit when varactor diodes are used inside a voltage-driven oscillator. If this is the case, then the varactor diodes, reducing the Q and increasing the number of spurious signals, can be forced into forwarding conduction. Within a VCO, there are two main types of varactor diode that can be used-the name refers to the diode junction and this impacts their output.8.1 Abrupt: Abrupt diodes have a relatively sharp transition between the areas of the diode, as the name implies. They are able to give a higher Q than their hyper-abrupt relatives, while abrupt varactor diodes do not offer such a high tuning range or linear transfer characteristic. This results in a better oscillator phase noise output regulated by voltage. The other point to note is that in order to have the appropriate tuning range, abrupt varactor diodes may need a high tuning voltage, as certain diodes may need a tuning voltage for the VCO to differ up to 50 volts or slightly more. This can cause problems with supplying the drive circuits with a voltage supply with a sufficiently high voltage.8.2 Hyper-abrupt: There is a relatively linear voltage for hyper-abrupt diodes: the capacitance curve. As a consequence, in some applications, they give a very linear tuning characteristic that may be needed. They can also tune over a wide range, and can normally tune over an octave range with less than a 20-volt tuning voltage shift. They do not give an especially high Q standard, however. Since this will deduct from the tuned circuit's overall Q, this will mean that the output of the phase noise is as good as that which can be obtained using an abrupt varactor diode. Despite the apparent simplicity of the circuit, the voltage-controlled oscillator design is far from trivial. A design would also involve careful optimization of the levels of input coupled with the system and layout. The VCO's design will need to carefully balance the requirements of sometimes conflicting requirements, such as a large tuning range and low noise phase. The standards of efficiency that can be achieved are surprisingly good once the design has been completely configured and the design has been completed.Ⅸ FAQ1. What is a Voltage Controlled Oscillator?A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is an electronic oscillator whose oscillation frequency is controlled by a voltage input. The applied input voltage determines the instantaneous oscillation frequency. 2. What is the use of VCO in PLL?VCO stands for Voltage Controlled Oscillator. PLL operation is simple. VCO creates a high-frequency clock that is divided by some factor. This divided frequency is compared against a stable, reference, frequency using a phase comparator and difference (in-phase or frequency) is converted into voltage and fed back into VCO.Depending on voltage difference VCO frequency will be higher or lower.For example, let’s suppose we have VCO generating 10000 at 5V and divide by 100 dividers. The reference frequency is 90. The phase comparator will subtract two frequencies, 100 - 90 = 10 and will produce some voltage proportional to the frequency difference. This voltage is fed back into VCO and will increase 5V to 6V. Voltage increase will result in frequency drop. The process will continue as long as VCO generated frequency is equal to reference, in our case 9000.From above we see PLL output frequency is: Out = Ref * DividerVCO in RF is produced using varicap diodes - diodes which capacity depends on reverse voltage. Varicap diodes are available with capacities ranging from 1pF up to 500pF and capacity change 2 - 20. How PLL is stable depends on the reference clock and a phase comparator. In the simplest case phase comparator are the XOR gate and RC filter. 3. Why is VCO better than DCO?Of course, the real answer depends on the application. But one important application for a VCO is to implement a so-called phase-lock-loop. In that application, the smoothly continuous frequency vs voltage characteristic of a VCO would allow the VCO to track some variable reference frequency much more precisely. A 'typical' DCO in the same application could only achieve a step-wise approximation to tight tracking. Another, historically more important, application of a VCO is as the primary component of an FM broadcast transmitter. Using a conventional DCO in this application would typically produce an unacceptable amount of weird, noisy distortion in the demodulated audio as the DCO control input attempted to track the audio signal. But yes, it is possible to conceptualize, and even practical to design, a DCO whose frequency control steps are so fine and rapid that, used in an FM broadcast transmitter, the listener would not notice the step-wise tuning of the carrier. 4. What is the function of a VCO voltage-controlled oscillator?A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is an electronic oscillator whose oscillation frequency is controlled by a voltage input. The applied input voltage determines the instantaneous oscillation frequency. 5. How does voltage control oscillator work?A voltage-controlled oscillator is an oscillator with an output signal whose output can be varied over a range, which is controlled by the input DC voltage. It is an oscillator whose output frequency is directly related to the voltage at its input. The oscillation frequency varies from few hertz to hundreds of GHz. 6. How do you make a voltage-controlled oscillator?To make a VCO, the oscillator needs to be tuned by a voltage. This can be achieved by making the variable capacitor from varactor diodes. The tuning voltage for the VCO can then be applied to the varactors. 7. What is the output of VCO?The VCO has an output power level of -3 dBm into 50 Ω with phase noise of -101 dBc/Hz typical at 100 kHz offset. The control voltage range is 0.4 to 2.4 volts, and load pulling is typically 0.75 MHz, pk-pk. Power supply pushing is 280 kHz/volt (typical). 8. What is the VCO tuning range?The VCO is linearly tunable from 806 to 1,113 MHz with a 34% tuning range controlled linearly by the tuning voltage. The phase noise of the VCO is -100.4 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz offset frequency from a 903 MHz carrier. 9. What is VCO phase noise?Characterizing Phase Noise. The term phase noise is widely used for describing short-term random frequency fluctuations of a. signal. Frequency stability is a measure of the degree to which an oscillator maintains the same value. 10. Which is the input terminal in a VCO?It generates the square wave at the output whose frequency is determined by a control voltage. The first op-amp works as an integrator. The control voltage is applied at the input terminal and due to the voltage divider arrangement, half the control voltage is applied at the positive terminal of the first op-amp. 

IntroductionA potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact. It is an adjustable voltage divider with two static contacts and one moving contact. The moving terminal is a wiper that travels across the resistance element, usually in an arc controlled by a rotary knob. Rotating the knob gives a ratiometric division of the potential across the resistance element. Potentiometer generally used in speakers and receivers for volume control. In addition, it cannot directly control the motor because its power is too small. When potentiometer acting as a voltage divider, the absolute resistance of the potentiometer will not affect the output voltage, and its output voltage is proportional to the input voltage.Figure 1. Potentiometer StructureCatalogIntroductionⅠ Potentiometer WiringⅡ Potentiometer Symbol and Diagram DescriptionsⅢ Potentiometer Voltage Divider Circuit BasicsⅣ Potentiometer Resistance MeasuresⅠ Potentiometer WiringThe potentiometer can be used as a three-terminal component or a two-terminal component. The latter can be regarded as a rheostat. For a general potentiometer (three pins), the slider near the center which is a resistance wire. The two pins at both ends of the resistance wire are connected to the input and the ground (some are not connected), respectively. That is, one pin is connected to the input signal and the other pin is grounded. At this time, the resistance wire has a total resistance value on the two sections. You move the sliding piece to go across this resistance wire to get a variable resistance. If the input and output signals are reversed, the sliding direction of the slide is opposite to the resistance change.How to Wire a Potentiometer1) For a potentiometer (or a trimming resistors) with traditional pins (three pins), the resistance at both ends is fixed, and the resistance of the middle pin is variable. That is, the terminal on both sides of the potentiometer are total resistance, and the middle is changing. For example, the power supply is connect from any one contact on resistor sides and output from the middle contact, and the voltage changes with the rotation of the middle contact.Figure 2. Potentiometer Voltage Divider Output2) Although the resistance can vary with the slider, the total resistance value of pins is fixed. At this time, the potentiometer is equal to a current controller, and the selected current output terminals must be the sliding terminal. Commonly used potentiometers have poor resistance accuracy and poor temperature coefficient, but as long as the resistance of the potentiometer is uniform, so is the output voltage value.Figure 3. Potentiometer as Voltage Divider3) If a potentiometer used as a variable voltage divider, one contact connects to the input voltage, the middle contact connects to the output voltage, and the other contact can be grounded. When the rotary handle or sliding handle of the potentiometer take action, the movable contact slides on the resistor. At this time, an output voltage that has a certain relationship with the external voltage, wiper angle and travel stroke.4) If a potentiometer used as a variable resistor, one end connects to the input voltage, the middle end connects to the output, and the other end can be suspended or connected to the middle end to obtain a smooth and continuously changing resistance value.Figure 4. Potentiometer Connected as Variable Resistor As above mentioned, a potentiometer can be connected as a variable resistor, if you want to know more info, you can get it from The Differences Between Potentiometer and Adjustable Resistor. Ⅱ Potentiometer Symbol and Diagram DescriptionsNamePotentiometer SymbolDescriptionNormal PotentiometerUse RP (resistor potentiometer) to represent the potentiometer. The symbol in the figure mark the 3 pins of the potentiometer, indicating the chip pins.Potentiometer SwitchS1 is a switch attached to the RP, and S1 is controlled by the RP rotary handle. When you start to turn the handle, after the switch closes, this circuit is the same as a normal potentiometer. This kind of potentiometer is mainly used in volume control circuits with power switches.As a Variable ResistorThe potentiometer at this time can be regarded as a variable resistor.A Potentiometer with dual portDivide the 3 pins of the potentiometer into 4 ends to form a dual-port circuit. That is, terminals 1 and 2 input signals, terminals 3 and 4 output signals, and terminals 2 and 4 are common terminals, which usually connected to the ground of the line.Dual Gang PotentiometersIt has two single potentiometer circuit symbols, which are connected by a dotted line to indicate that the resistances of dual gang potentiometer are adjusted simultaneously, that is, their resistance values increase or decrease at the same time.Half Linear StrokeThis is a special dual gang potentiometer. Two potentiometer travel strokes are synchronized, but their resistance changes are not the same during adjustment. Only one mechanical stroke of this kind of potentiometer changes in resistance, and the resistance value of the silver zone is zero of another one. The silver zone with no resistance is indicated by shading in the circuit symbol. When the moving contact slides up from the middle, the moving piece RP-1 will enter the silver zone, and RP-2 will enter the varistor area; when the moving handle slides down from the middle position, the RP-2 will enter the silver zone, and RP-1 enters the varistor zone. This special potentiometer can be used in a stereo balance controller circuit (a control circuit in stereo equipment).With Central TapIt has one more pin than the ordinary potentiometer, that is, the tapping pin. The tapping pin is set at the middle resistance of the potentiometer, and the resistance between the tap and the two fixed contacts is equal. There are also potentiometers whose taps are not set in the middle position.Figure 5. Potentiometer CircuitsⅢ Potentiometer Voltage Divider Circuit Basics1) The resistor of the potentiometer is mostly made of polycarbonate synthetic resin. The following items should be avoided: ammonia, other amines, aqueous alkali solutions, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, lipid hydrocarbons, strong chemicals (excessive pH), etc., otherwise it will affect potentiometer performance.2) When soldering the potentiometer terminals, avoid using water-capacitive flux, which will cause metal oxidation and mold material. Using inferior flux, poor soldering may cause problems in soldering, resulting in poor contact or open circuit.3) If the soldering temperature of the terminal is too high or the soldering time is too long, it may cause damage to the potentiometer. The temperature range of the plug-in potentiometer is 235℃±5℃; the wire bonding type is 350℃±10℃, and the soldering point should be more than 1.5mm away from the potentiometer body. In addition, avoid heavy pressure on the terminals, otherwise it is easy to cause poor contact.4) During soldering, the height of the flux entering the printing machine board should be adjusted properly, and it should be avoided to affect the potentiometer. Because it will cause poor contact between the brush and the resistor, or result in noise.5) The potentiometer is better in the voltage adjustment structure.6) Avoid condensation or water droplets on the surface of the potentiometer, and avoid using potentiometer in a humid place to prevent insulation deterioration or short circuit.7) When fixing the screws of the rotary potentiometer, the strength should not be too strong to avoid poor rotation. For the direct-sliding potentiometer, avoid using too-long screws, otherwise it may hinder the movement of the sliding handle and even damage the potentiometer itself.8) In the process of putting the potentiometer on the knob, the pushing force should not be too large (don’t exceed the parameter index of the rated pushing and pulling force), otherwise it may cause damage to the potentiometer.9) The rotary force of the potentiometer will decrease as the temperature increases, and become smaller as the temperature decreases. If the potentiometer is used in a low temperature environment, it needs special low temperature resistant grease.Figure 6. Potentiometer Voltage Divider Circuit Connections10) If the shaft or sliding handle of the potentiometer is too long, it is easy to shake and cause the instability of the circuit signal.11) The carbon film of the potentiometer can withstand the ambient temperature of 70℃, and its function may be lost when the temperature is higher than 70℃.12) For a adjustable potentiometer, when the DC is allowed to pass through the movable contact, the problem of anodic oxidation may occur. In this case, it is best to connect the component with the negative end and connect the moving contact with the positive end.13) The load current of the adjustable potentiometer cannot be increased at will to keep circuit safety. And actual current measurement would be to put ammeter in series with the potentiometer in the active circuit.14) Do not exceed the rated power when using the adjustable potentiometer. For example, when the power dissipation exceeds the rated value, it will cause the potentiometer to overheat.15) A Potentiometer is sensitive if it is capable of measuring very small potential differences, and shows a significant change in balancing length for a small change in potential difference being measured.16) A DC potentiometer is created by dropping voltage across a set of resistors in series. Different resistors will produce different values. In AC potentiometer, one can use resistors or even inductors or capacitors as impedances which will drop voltages and provide a voltage less than applied voltage.17) If positioned the potentiometer wiper on the center of the resistor element then the voltage at the wiper is 50%; if the wiper is positioned 1/4 of the way from the negative node then the wiper voltage is 1/4th the entire voltage.18) Potentiometer nomenclature: It generally use the direct marking method. Letters and numbers are marked on the potentiometer shell to indicate their model, nominal power, resistance, and the relationship between resistance and rotation angle.If you have any interest, with a deep reading, you can get more info from What is the Voltage Divider Basic and Rule. Ⅳ Potentiometer Resistance MeasuresThe main checking requirements for the potentiometer are: ① The resistance value meets the circuit requirements. ② The connection between the center sliding end and the resistor is good, and the rotation is smooth. For potentiometer with switches, the switch action should be accurate, reliable and flexible. Therefore, the performance of the potentiometer must be checked before use.1) Resistance measurement: First, select the appropriate gear of the multimeter according to the resistance of the measured potentiometer. Whether the resistance between the two ends of the AC is consistent with the nominal resistance. Rotate the sliding contact, and its value should be fixed. If the resistance indicates infinite, the potentiometer is damaged.2) Then measure the contact between the center end and the resistor, that is, the resistance between the two ends of BC. The method is to set the ohm range of the multimeter in the appropriate range. During the measurement, slowly rotate the shaft and observe the reading of the multimeter. Normally, the reading changes steadily in one direction. If there is a jump, drop, or blockage, it means that the movable contact has failures.3) When the center end slides to the head or the end, the resistance value of the center end and the coincident end is 0 for an ideal state. In the actual measurement, there will be a certain value (generally determined by the nominal value, generally less than 5Ω), which is normal. Frequently Asked Questions about Potentiometer Voltage Divider1. How can a potentiometer be used as a voltage divider?Potentiometers can be used as voltage dividers. To use the potentiometer as a voltage divider, all the three pins are connected. One of the outer pins is connected to the GND, the other to Vcc and the middle pin is the voltage output. Basically, the voltage divider is used to turn a large voltage into a smaller one. 2. How does a potentiometer affect voltage?When the potentiometer resistance is decreased (the wiper moves downwards) the output voltage from pin 2 decreases producing a smaller voltage drop across R2. Likewise, when the potentiometer resistance is increased (the wiper moves upwards) the output voltage from pin 2 increases producing a larger voltage drop. 3. What is a dual gang potentiometer?It means two potentiometer combined on the same shaft, enabling the parallel setting of two channels. Most common are single turn potentiometers with equal resistance and taper. 4. How many volts can a potentiometer handle?100 voltsIf the potentiometer is rated at 1 Watt, you can only apply a maximum of 100 volts. I.e 10 mA. That applied to the voltage across the full 10000 ohms. That also means that you cannot pass more than 10 mA into the Wiper.

IntroductionIn electronics, what is clipper? A circuit which removes the peak of a waveform is known as a clipper. Clipper circuit is designed to prevent a signal from exceeding a predetermined reference voltage level. The clipper circuit can be designed by utilizing both the linear and nonlinear elements such as resistors, diodes, or transistors. The diode clipper, also known as a diode limiter, is a wave shaping circuit that limits positive or negative amplitude, or both. In electronics, diode clipper circuits are commonly used to process various signals. It is is a circuit designed to prevent a signal from exceeding a predetermined reference voltage level. Clipping changes the shape of the waveform and alters its spectral components.Clipper Circuits IntroductionCatalogIntroductionⅠ Clipper Circuit Types1.1 Positive Clipper Circuit1.2 Negative Clipper Circuit1.3 Combinational Limiter CircuitⅡ Clipper Circuits Analysis2.1 Clipper Circuit Structure2.2 Clipper Circuit ProblemsⅢ General Forms of Clipper Circuits3.1 Clipper Circuit Description3.2 Common Clipper Circuit ExamplesⅠ Clipper Circuit TypesDiode clipper is a limiting circuit which limits the output voltage. In electronics, a clipper is a circuit designed to prevent a signal from exceeding a predetermined reference voltage level. A basic diode limiter circuit is composed of a diode and a resistor. It is divided into three types: positive clipper circuit, negative clipper circuit and combinational clipper circuit. The positive clipper circuit produces a clipping effect when the input voltage is higher than a certain upper limit value; the negative clipper circuit produces a limit effect when the input voltage is lower than a certain lower limit value; the combinational clipper circuit produces a limit effect when the input voltage is too high or too low. In a positive clipper, the positive half cycles of the input voltage will be removed. During the negative half cycle of the input, the diode is forward biased and so the negative half cycle appears across the output. The clipper circuits are described as following.1.1 Positive Clipper CircuitThe diode in clipper circuit is connected in series to the input signal and that attenuates the positive portions of the waveform. The positive clamping circuit blocks the input signal when the diode is forward biased. During the negative half cycle of an AC signal, the diode is forward biased and allows electric current through it. In following figure, when the input signal voltage is lower than a preset upper limit voltage, the output voltage will change with the input voltage, however, when the input voltage reaches or exceeds the upper limit, the output voltage will remain at a fixed value, so that the signal amplitude is limited at the output.1.2 Negative Clipper CircuitThe diode in clipper circuit is connected in series to the input signal and that attenuates the negative portions of the waveform, is termed as negative series clipper. For the figure below, the diode is series to the input and output. If the diode has ideal switching characteristics, when iu is lower than E, D will not conduct, ou=E; when ui is higher than E, D will conduct, ou=iu. The limiting characteristic of this limiter circuit is shown in the figure.1.3 Combinational Limiter CircuitThis kind of circuit combines the positive and negative limiters together which shows in the following figure. Ⅱ Clipper Circuits Analysis2.1 Clipper Circuit StructureIn the circuit, Al is an integrated circuit (a common component), VT1 and VT2 are transistors, Rl and R2 are resistors, and VDl to VD6 are diodes.Analyzing the effect of VD1 and VD2 in the circuit mainly explains the following points.1) It can be seen from the circuit that the circuit structure of the two groups of diodes are the same. Both play the same role in this circuit, so the working principle of them are the same.2) The pin ① is connected to the base of the transistor VT1 through a resistor Rl. Obviously Rl is a signal transmission resistor. The signal output on the pin ① is added to the base of VT1 through Rl (there is no DC blocking capacitor between pin ① and VT1). From this circuit structure, it can be judged that the pin ① is an output signal pin, and it outputs a composite signal of DC and AC. The purpose of determining that the pin ① is to figure out the specific function of the diode VD1 in the circuit.3) The DC voltage output by pin ① is not high enough to make the external diode in a conducting state. The analysis is: if the DC voltage output by the pin ① is high enough, then VD1, VD2 and VD3 conduct, and the internal resistance becomes small. This will shunt the AC signal output by the pin ① to the ground, so the signal will be attenuated. However, this circuit does not need such attenuation. Therefore, the conclusion drawn from this: VD1, VD2 and VD3 are not turned on by pin ① DC voltage output.4) The output from pin ① is the superimposed signal of DC and AC, which is added to the base of the transistor VT1 through the resistor Rl. VT1 is an NPN transistor. If the amplitude of the positive half-cycle AC signal added to the base of VT1 is very large, which may burn the VT1. When the negative half-cycle signal added to the base of VT1 is large, which has no effect on VT1, because the negative signal on the base of VT1 reduces current.Follow the above circuit analysis, it can be judged that VD1, VD2, and VD3 in the circuit has clipper function, to prevent VT1 from burning out. 2.2 Clipper Circuit ProblemsIn the figure, Ul is the DC voltage in the output of pin ①, U2 is the limiting voltage value.When the AC voltage in the output signal of pin ① is relatively small, the positive half cycle of the AC signal plus the DC output voltage does not make the VD1, VD2 and VD3 conduction. Therefore, all diodes are cut off, which has no effect on the AC signal output by pin ①. Assuming that the positive half-cycle output AC signal by pin ① is very large during a certain period, as shown in the signal waveform, at this time it plus the DC voltage can conduct VD1, VD2 and VD3. If the conduction voltage of each diode is 0.7V, then three diodes is 2.1V. Since the tube voltage drop after conduction is basically the same, that is, the maximum voltage of pin ① is 2.1V. So the excess part of the positive half cycle of the AC signal is limited by the resistor. When the DC and AC output signals at pin ① is less than 2.1V, diodes will not conduct and keep cutoff state, which has no clipping effect on the signal.For the specific details of clipper circuit, there are several explanations as follows.1) The negative half cycle large signal output by the pin ④ will not cause VT1 overcurrent, because it will decrease the base voltage of the NPN transistor and the base current, so there is no need to add the limiter circuit.2) The one-way limiter circuit mentioned above, it can only limit the large signal part of the positive or negative half of the signal, and does not limit the signal in the other half. The other is the combinational limiter circuit, which can limit the positive and negative half-cycle signals at the same time.3) There are many reasons for the abnormal increase of the signal amplitude. For example, the fluctuation of the power supply voltage cause it to increase a lot at a certain moment, and the large-scale interference pulse from the outside into the circuit also causes a certain increase.4) After the three diodes VD1, VD2 and VD3 conduct, the sum of the DC and AC voltages on pin ① is 2.1V. This voltage added to the base of VT1 through resistor Rl is maximum, so as to the current of VT1.5) Since the pin ① is the same as the external circuit of pin ②, the working principle of the limiter circuit is the same. So only one circuit needs to be analyzed when analyzing the circuit.6) According to the characteristics of the series circuit, the current in the series circuit is equal everywhere. It can be known that the three series diodes VD1, VD2 and VD3 are turned on at the same time, or they will be turned off at the same time. Therefore, in the series circuit, a diode is turned on and other diodes are turned on.Ⅲ General Forms of Clipper Circuits3.1 Clipper Circuit DescriptionThere are two types of clippers namely series and parallel. In series clipper, diode is connected in series with the load. In parallel clipper, diode is in parallel to the load.1) Series clippers: if the diode is connected in series with load resistanceUnbiased series clipper: in that case the circuit diode is connected in series with load resistance and no external voltage is applied to the circuit.+ve unbiased series clipper: if the +ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve unbiased series clipper.-ve unbiased series clipper: if the -ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve unbiased series clipper.Biased series clipper: if in the circuit, diode is connected in series with load resistance and external voltage is applied to the circuit+ve biased series clipper: if the +ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve biased series clipper.-ve biased series clipper: if the -ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve biased series clipper.2) Parallel clippers: if the diode is connected in parallel with load resistanceUnbiased parallel clipper: in that case the circuit diode is connected in parallel with load resistance and no external voltage is applied to the circuit.+ve unbiased parallel clipper: if the +ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve unbiased parallel clipper.-ve unbiased parallel clipper: if the -ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve unbiased parallel clipper.Biased parallel clipper: if in the circuit, diode is connected in parallel with load resistance and external voltage is applied to the circuit+ve unbiased parallel clipper: if the +ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve biased series clipper.-ve unbiased parallel clipper: if the -ve portion of output is clipped its called +ve biased series clipper. 3.2 Common Clipper Circuit ExamplesIn general, clippers circuit are classified into two types: Series Clippers, Shunt Clippers, and Dual (Combination) Clippers.Series Clipper: The diode is connected in series with the load resistance. 👇Figure 1. Series Positive ClipperThe positive amplitude waveform is cut, and the negative amplitude waveform is retained, as follows:Figure 2. Series Positive Clipper with Positive BiasThe positive amplitude waveform is cut, and the offset positive voltage is retained on the negative amplitude waveform, as follows:Figure 3. Series Positive Clipper with Negative BiasThe waveform of positive amplitude is cut, and the negative voltage is shifted based on the waveform of negative amplitude, as follows:Figure 4. Series Negative ClipperThe negative amplitude waveform is cut, and the positive amplitude waveform is retained, as follows:Figure 5. Series Negative Clipper with Positive BiasThe negative amplitude waveform is cut, and the positive voltage is offset on the positive amplitude waveform, as follows:Figure 6. Series Negative Clipper with Negative BiasThe negative amplitude waveform is cut, and the negative voltage is offset on the positive amplitude waveform as follows: Shunt Clipper: Diode is in parallel with load resistance in circuit. 👇Figure 7. Shunt Positive ClipperFigure 8. Shunt Positive Clipper with Positive BiasFigure 9. Shunt Positive Clipper with Negative BiasFigure 10. Shunt Negative ClipperFigure 11. Shunt Negative Clipper with Positive BiasFigure 12. Shunt Negative Clipper with Negative Bias Dual (Combination) Clipper: It is desired to remove a small portion of both positive and negative half cycles. 👇Figure 13. Combination ClipperWhen the positive and negative waveforms must be limited, a combinational limiter circuit is required, as follows:Images Reference: Clipper Circuits - Series Clipper, Shunt Clipper, and Dual Clipper Frequently Asked Questions about Diode Limiter and Clipper Circuit1. What is Clipper and clamper?The major difference between clipper and clamper is that clipper is a limiting circuit which limits the output voltage while clamper is a circuit which shifts the DC level of output voltage. ... While clamper is used when we need multiples of the input voltage at the output terminal. 2. What is the function of clipper circuit?In electronics, a clipper is a circuit designed to prevent a signal from exceeding a predetermined reference voltage level. A clipper does not distort the remaining part of the applied waveform. 3. What is Clipper circuit and its types?A clipper is a device which limits, remove or prevents some portion of the wave form (input signal voltage) above or below a certain level, in other words, the circuit which limits positive or negative amplitude ,or both is called chipping circuit. The clipper circuits are of the following types. Series positive clipper. 4. What is the difference between a positive clipper and a negative Clipper?Positive Clipper and Negative Clipper. In a positive clipper, the positive half cycles of the input voltage will be removed. ... During the negative half cycle of the input, the diode is forward biased and so the negative half cycle appears across the output. 5. How does diode clipping work?The Diode Clipper, also known as a Diode Limiter, is a wave shaping circuit that takes an input waveform and clips or cuts off its top half, bottom half or both halves together. This clipping of the input signal produces an output waveform that resembles a flattened version of the input. 6. What is the main purpose of a diode limiter?The diode limiter also called Clipper as it is used to limit the input voltage. A basic diode limiter circuit is composed of a diode and a resistor. Depending upon the circuit configuration and bias, the circuit may clip or eliminate all or part of an input waveform. It limits the output voltage to a specific value. 7. What is the purpose of a clamping diode?The clamping circuit fixes the voltage lower limit to zero, that is, the start of the signal is 0 V. The positive clamping circuit blocks the input signal when the diode is forward biased. During the negative half cycle of an AC signal, the diode is forward biased and allows electric current through it. 8. What is a diode clamping circuit?A clamper circuit shifts the DC level or the reference level of the signal to the desired level without changing the shape of the waveform. The clamper circuit can be designed using the diode, resistor, and the capacitor.