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IntroductionSimply put, an oscillator is a device that can convert DC power into AC power without external signal excitation. The so-called "oscillation" implies alternating current. This article will mainly explain the circuits of different sine wave oscillators, including their working principles, how to realize their functions, circuit composition and comparison of advantages and disadvantages of different forms of circuits. This article uses a large number of circuit diagrams and formulas to explain in detail, which can help you understand in a better way.Basics of oscillators and their different typesCatalogIntroductionCatalogI The Principle of Feedback Oscillator1.1 How Does the Feedback Oscillator Work?1.2 Equilibrium Conditions1.3 Starting Conditions of the Oscillator1.4 Stable Conditions of the Oscillator1.5 General Composition of Sine Wave OscillatorII LC Oscillator Circuit2.1 The Composition Principle of the Oscillator2.2 Capacitive Feedback Oscillator2.3 Inductive feedback oscillatorIII RC Oscillator Circuit3.1 Brief Introduction of RC Oscillator and its Circuit3.2 RC Phase Shift Oscillator3.3 Wien Bridge OscillatorIV Quartz Crystal Oscillator Circuit4.1 What is a Quartz Crystal Oscillator?4.2 Quartz Crystal4.3 Quartz Crystal Oscillator CircuitV Non-sine Wave Generating Circuit5.1 What is a Non-sine Wave Generating Circuit?5.2 Rectangular Wave Generator5.3 Triangle Wave and Sawtooth Wave Signal GeneratorVI QuizⅦ FAQI The Principle of Feedback Oscillator1.1 How Does the Feedback Oscillator Work?The feedback oscillator is when the power is turned on, the various electrical disturbance signals in the loop are selected by the frequency selection network, and the signal of a certain frequency is fed back to the input terminal, and then the cycle of amplification → feedback → amplification → feedback , The amplitude of the signal increases continuously, and the oscillation is established from small to large. As the signal amplitude increases, the amplifier will enter a non-linear state, and the gain will decrease. When the feedback voltage is exactly equal to the input voltage, the oscillation amplitude will no longer increase and enter a balanced state. As can be seen from the figure below, the feedback oscillator is a closed loop composed of an amplifier and a feedback network. The amplifier is usually a tuned amplifier with an oscillation circuit as a load. The feedback network is generally a linear network composed of passive components.Figure1. Block Diagram of Feedback OscillatorIn order to generate self-oscillation, there must be positive feedback, that is, the signal fed back to the input terminal and the signal at the input terminal of the amplifier have the same phase. For the above figure, suppose the voltage amplification factor of the amplifier is K(s), the voltage feedback coefficient of the feedback network is F(s), and the closed-loop voltage amplification factor is Ku(s), thenby We can writeIf a certain frequency ω1=ω, then T(jω1) is equal to 1. From the above formula, we can see that Ku(jω) will tend to infinity. This shows that there is no external signal, and self-excited to produce signal output, namely self-oscillation. Therefore, the condition of self-oscillation is that the loop gain is 1.Definition:1.2 Equilibrium ConditionsThe equilibrium condition of the oscillator isthis can also be expressed asIf a certain frequency ω1=ω, then T(jω1) is equal to 1. From the above formula, we can see that Ku(jω) will tend to infinity. This shows that there is no external signal, and self-excited to produce signal output, namely self-oscillation. Therefore, the condition of self-oscillation is that the loop gain is 1. The above two formulas are the amplitude and the phase equilibrium conditions respectively. Equilibrium conditions are also called "two conditions for maintaining self-oscillation". The amplitude balance condition determines the amplitude of the oscillator output signal, and the phase equilibrium condition determines the frequency of the oscillator output signal. But it must be pointed out that the loop can only meet the phase equilibrium condition at a certain frequency (f), which is the resonant frequency (f0) of the loop.1.3 Starting Conditions of the OscillatorWhen the oscillator is in actual application, there should be no external signal Us(s) shown in Figure 1. The initial source of oscillation is electrical signals such as electrical shock and various thermal noises that inevitably exist when the oscillator is switched on.It can be seen from the establishment process of the oscillation that in order to make the oscillator start-up, the feedback voltage Uf and the input voltage Ui should be in phase at the beginning of the oscillation (that is, positive feedback); Uf>Ui should be required in amplitude, that is:Vibration conditions: φA+φF=2nπ(n=0,1,2,•••)AF>1 Simply put, as we know, the condition of unity gain must be met to make the oscillation continue. But to start the oscillation, the voltage gain of the positive feedback loop must be greater than 1, so that the amplitude of the output voltage can reach the required potential. Then the gain must be reduced to 1, so that the output voltage can be maintained at the required potential and the oscillation phenomenon can continue. Transition from |T(jω)|>1 to |T(jω)|=1 when the oscillator is workingThe amplifier must work in the linear amplification region of the transistor when amplifying small signals.When the oscillation is started, the amplifier works in the linear region. At this time, the output of the amplifier increases linearly with the increase of the input signal; as the amplitude of the input signal increases, the amplifier gradually enters the saturation or cut-off region from the amplification region, and enters a nonlinear state. The closed-loop gain of will decrease with the increase of the input signal, as shown in the figure below:Figure2. Graphical Representation of Amplitude ConditionsWhen the loop gain drops to |T(jω)|=1, the growth process of the amplitude will stop, and the oscillator will reach a balanced state and perform constant amplitude oscillation. It can be seen that the transition of the oscillator from amplified oscillation to steady amplitude oscillation is realized by the non-linear characteristics of the amplifier. When the oscillating circuit is powered on, the current of the transistor increases abruptly from zero, and the sudden change current contains a wide spectrum component. The start-up process of the circuit is very short! As long as the circuit satisfies the starting conditions, after the oscillator is powered on, there will be an output signal with stable amplitude at the output.Figure3. Circuit Start-up Process1.4 Stable Conditions of the OscillatorIf the loop gain characteristic has two equilibrium points A and B, among them, point A is stable and point B is unstable.Figure4. Stable Conditions of the OscillatorIt can be seen from the above discussion that in order to stabilize the equilibrium point, |T(ω0)| must have a negative slope change near UiA.Stable conditions are divided into amplitude stable conditions and phase stable conditionsTo make the amplitude stable, the oscillator must have the ability to prevent amplitude changes at its equilibrium point. Then the amplitude stability condition should beSince the feedback network is a linear network, which means the size of the feedback coefficient does not change with the input signal, so the amplitude stability condition can be written asThe phase stability depends on the increase of ω, and the decrease of , meaning that the phase characteristic of the parallel oscillator circuit ensures the phase stability.Therefore, the phase stability condition is. The higher the Q value of the loop,  the larger of the value of , and the better phase stability.1.5 General Composition of Sine Wave Oscillator(1) Amplifying circuit-realize energy control.(2) Positive feedback network-meets the conditions for starting vibration.(3) Frequency selection network-only one frequency satisfies the oscillation condition to obtain a sine wave output of a single frequency. Commonly used frequency selection networks include RC frequency selection and LC frequency selection(4) Amplitude stabilization link-makes the circuit easy to start and oscillate stably, with little waveform distortion. Examples of oscillation circuits:High frequency resonant amplifier and sine wave oscillatorFigure5. High Frequency Small Signal Resonant AmplifierFigure6. Mutual Inductance Coupled OscillatorII LC Oscillator CircuitLC oscillators can be divided into three types: mutual inductance coupled oscillators, inductive feedback oscillators and capacitive feedback oscillators according to their different feedback networks.This section focuses on different types of feedback LC oscillators and three-point oscillators.2.1 The Composition Principle of the OscillatorFigure7. General Form of Three-terminal OscillatorThe basic circuit is the so-called three-terminal (also called three-point) oscillator, which means the circuit formed by connecting the three terminals of the LC loop and the three electrodes of the transistor respectively, as shown in the figure. The three-terminal LC oscillator is a feedback type LC oscillator. In order to obtain positive feedback, the feedback circuit must make the instantaneous polarity of the transistor's AC voltage meet a certain phase relationship: when Vbe is negative, Vce should be positive, namely, Vbe and Vce are in reverse phase, and Veb and Vce are in phase. Only when the reactance Xce and Xeb have the same properties can they be guaranteed to be in phase. When the resistance of the loop element is very small, its influence can be ignored, and the influence of the input impedance and output impedance of the transistor can also be ignored. To maintain oscillation, the circuit must meet the requirements. Otherwise, the loop resonance condition cannot be met.The criteria for the three-terminal oscillator circuit to meet the phase equilibrium condition is as follows:(1) The reactance properties of Xce and Xeb are the same, but the reactance properties of Xcb are opposite. That is, ce and be are the same resisting piece, and cb resisting piece.(2) The oscillation frequency should satisfy 1Xo+Xcl-XolBased on this criterion, it can be quickly judged whether the oscillating circuit composition is reasonable or not.Three-terminal LC oscillatorThe three-terminal LC oscillation circuit is often used, and its operating frequency is about a few MHz to a few hundred MHz. The frequency stability is also higher than that of the transformer coupled oscillation circuit, which is about 10-3~10-4. After some frequency stabilization measures, it can be higher. There are many types of three-terminal LC oscillators, mainly: Inductance three-terminal type, also known as Hartley oscillator; capacitor three-terminal type, also known as Colpitts oscillator; series type improved capacitor three-terminal type, also known as Clapp parallel type improved capacitor three-terminal type , Also known as Sellier oscillator. The three-terminal oscillator has two basic circuits, as shown in the figure below.Figure8. Capacitive Feedback Oscillator and Inductive Feedback Oscillator2.2 Capacitive Feedback OscillatorCapacitive feedback three-terminal oscillator is an electronic component, also called Colpitts oscillator, which is a kind of self-excited oscillator. It is composed of a series capacitor, an inductance circuit and a positive feedback amplifier. It is named because the three end points of the two series capacitors of the oscillating circuit are connected to the three pins of the oscillating tube respectively.Figure9. Capacitive Feedback OscillatorAs shown in the figure, use C2 to feed back part of the voltage of the resonant tank to the base. The three end points of the LC resonant tank are respectively connected to the three electrodes of the transistor, so it is called a capacitive feedback three-terminal oscillator, or Colpitts oscillator. The vector analysis method can be used to prove that the circuit meets the phase balance condition. As long as the ratio of C1 and C2 is appropriately selected and the amplifier has enough amplification, the circuit can oscillate.Figure10. Capacitive Feedback OscillatorAdvantages of Colpitts circuit:(1) Good oscillation waveform;(2) The frequency stability of the circuit is high. If the capacitance of the circuit is increased appropriately, the influence of unstable factors on the oscillation frequency can be reduced;(3) The operating frequency of the three-terminal circuit of the capacitor can be made higher. The output and input capacitors of the oscillator tube can be directly used as the oscillation capacitor of the loop, and the operating frequency can reach a very high frequency range of tens of MHz to hundreds of МHz. Disadvantages of Colpitts circuit:When adjusting C1 and C2 to change the oscillation frequency, the feedback coefficient will also change, which will affect the starting conditions and working status. But as long as a variable capacitor is connected to both ends of L and C1 and C2 are fixed capacitors, the feedback coefficient will not be affected when the frequency is adjusted.2.3 Inductive feedback oscillator(1) Circuit compositionIn order to overcome the shortcomings that the transformer primary coil and the secondary coil in the transformer feedback oscillation circuit are not tightly coupled, the N1 and N2 of the transformer feedback oscillation circuit can be combined into one coil. As shown in the figure below, in order to strengthen the resonance effect, the capacitor C is connected across the entire coil. This is the inductive feedback oscillator circuit, or Harley oscillator.Figure11. Inductive Feedback Oscillator Circuit(2) Working principle✿The circuit includes four parts: amplifier circuit, frequency selection network, feedback network and non-linear element (transistor), and the amplifier circuit can work normally.✿Use the instantaneous polarity method to judge whether the circuit meets the phase condition of sine wave oscillation: disconnect the feedback, add the input voltage with frequency f0, give its polarity, and judge that the polarity of the feedback voltage obtained from N2 is the same as the input voltage , So the circuit satisfies the phase condition of sine wave oscillation.✿As long as the circuit parameters are selected properly, the circuit can meet the amplitude condition and produce sine wave oscillation. The following figure shows the AC path of the inductive feedback oscillation circuit. The three ends of the primary coil are connected to the three poles of the transistor, so the inductive feedback oscillation circuit is called an inductive three-point circuit.Figure12. AC Path of Inductive Feedback Oscillator Circuit(3) Advantages and disadvantagesThe coupling between N2 and N1 in the inductance feedback oscillation circuit is tight, the amplitude is large, and it is easy to oscillate; when C uses a variable capacitor, a wide adjustment range of oscillation frequency can be obtained, and the highest oscillation frequency can reach tens of MHz. Since the feedback voltage is taken from inductance, it has greater reactance to high-frequency signals, and the feedback signal contains more high-order harmonic components, and the output voltage waveform is not good. The following introduces two improved capacitor three-terminal oscillation circuits:Clap oscillator:The following figure (a) is the principle circuit of the Krapper oscillator, and (b) is its AC equivalent circuit. Its characteristic is that a capacitor C3 is added to the inductance branch of the aforementioned capacitive three-point oscillating resonant tank. Its value is relatively small, requiring C3<< C1, C3<< C2.Figure13. Clapp OscillatorRegardless of the influence of the capacitance between the poles, the total capacitance CΣ of the resonant circuit is the series connection of C1, C2 and C3, namely. Thus, the oscillation frequency is .The condition for the above formula to be true is that C1 and C2 must be selected relatively large. It can be seen that the influence of C1 and C2 on the oscillation frequency is significantly reduced, so the influence of the capacitance between the transistors connected in parallel with C1 and C2 is also very large. It is smaller, and the stability of the oscillation frequency is improved. Sellier oscillator:Figure14. Sellier Oscillator so the oscillation frequency:L is the inductance of the inductance coil of the resonant amplifier circuit; C is the total capacitance of the resonant circuit. In the LC resonance circuit, the inductance L(H)/capacitance C(F)=105~106, which can achieve better results.III RC Oscillator Circuit3.1 Brief Introduction of RC Oscillator and its Circuit● What is an RC oscillator?(1) The sine wave oscillator has no input signal and is a positive feedback amplifier with a frequency selection network. If resistors and capacitors are used to form a frequency selection network, it is called an RC oscillator, which is generally used to generate 1Hz-1MHz low-frequency signals. The frequency selection effect of the RC frequency selection network is not as good as that of the LC resonant circuit, so the waveform and stability of the RC oscillator are worse than that of the LC oscillator.(2) RC oscillator can be divided into sine wave oscillator and non-sine wave oscillator according to whether the output wave type is sine wave.(3) There are many kinds of RC oscillation circuits: bridge type, phase shift type, double T type, the most commonly used is bridge type oscillation circuit, namely RC series-parallel frequency selection network. ● Features of RC oscillator(1) RC phase-shift oscillator features: simple, poor frequency selection, unstable amplitude, inconvenient frequency adjustment, generally used in occasions with fixed frequency and low stability requirements. Frequency range: several hertz-tens of kilohertz(2) RC series-parallel network oscillator features: it can easily and continuously change the oscillation frequency, it is convenient to add negative feedback to stabilize the amplitude, and it is easy to get a good oscillation waveform.(3) Double T frequency selective network oscillator characteristics: good frequency selection characteristics, difficult frequency modulation, suitable for generating single frequency oscillation. ● RC oscillator circuitThe oscillating circuit composed of RC frequency selection network is called RC oscillating circuit, which is suitable for low-frequency oscillation, and is generally used to generate low-frequency signals of 1Hz~1MHz. The circuit is composed of four parts: amplifier circuit, frequency selection network, positive feedback network, and amplitude stabilization link. The main advantage is simple structure, economic and convenient. According to the different forms of the RC frequency selection network, the RC oscillator circuit can be divided into an RC lead (or lag) phase shift oscillator circuit and a Wien circuit oscillator circuit. For RC oscillator circuits, increasing the resistance R can reduce the oscillation frequency, and increasing the resistance does not need to increase the cost. The frequency of the sine wave generated by the commonly used LC oscillator circuit is relatively high. If a sine wave with a lower frequency is to be generated, the oscillation circuit must have a larger inductance and capacitance. This will not only cause the components to be bulky, heavy and inconvenient to install, but also difficult to manufacture. high cost.  Therefore, the sinusoidal oscillation circuit below 200kHz generally adopts an RC oscillation circuit with a lower oscillation frequency.3.2 RC Phase Shift OscillatorThe phase shift oscillator is an oscillator composed of an advanced phase shift or a lag phase shift circuit as a frequency selection network and an inverting amplifier. It has the advantages of simple circuit, economy and convenience, but the effect of frequency selection is poor, the amplitude is not stable enough, and the frequency adjustment is inconvenient. Therefore, it is generally used for occasions with fixed frequency and low stability requirements. Its oscillation frequency is:Figure15. RC Phase Shift Oscillator Schematic Diagram3.3 Wien Bridge OscillatorThe RC series-parallel frequency selection network and amplifier can be combined to form an RC oscillator circuit, and the amplifier part can be an integrated operational amplifier. As shown in the figure, the RC series-parallel frequency selection network is connected between the output of the operational amplifier and the non-inverting input to form positive feedback. Rt and R1 are connected between the output of the operational amplifier and the inverting input to form negative feedback. . The positive feedback circuit and the negative feedback circuit constitute a Wien bridge circuit, and the input and output ends of the operational amplifier are respectively connected across the diagonal of the bridge. Therefore, this kind of oscillation circuit is called a Wien bridge oscillation circuit.Figure16. Wien Bridge OscillatorThe oscillating signal is input from the non-inverting terminal, so a non-inverting amplifier is formed. The output voltage is in phase with the input voltage, and the closed-loop voltage amplification factor is equal to: When the RC series-parallel frequency selection network is ω=ω0=1/RC, Fu=1/3, εf=0, so as long as |Au|=1+(Rt/R1)>3, that is, Rt>2R1, oscillation The circuit can meet the self-excited oscillation amplitude and phase start-up conditions to produce self-excited oscillation, the oscillation frequency f0=1/2πRC. Using double adjustable potentiometer or double adjustable capacitor can easily adjust the oscillation frequency. In the commonly used RC oscillator circuit, the high stability capacitor is generally used to switch the frequency band (coarse frequency adjustment), and then the double variable potentiometer is used to fine-tune the frequency.IV Quartz Crystal Oscillator Circuit4.1 What is a Quartz Crystal Oscillator?Quartz crystal oscillator refers to a device made on the principle that the crystal resonates due to the piezoelectric effect when the frequency of the electrical signal is equal to the natural frequency of the quartz crystal. It is a key component of crystal oscillators and narrow-band filters.Although the appearance, size and frequency of the quartz crystal oscillator are different, the structure principle is basically the same. In order to improve the stable and reliable operation of the quartz crystal, the shell components of the quartz crystal oscillator will be sealed and evacuated. Or fill with nitrogen.4.2 Quartz Crystal(1) StructureFigure17. Structure of the Quartz Crystal(2) Basic characteristicsApplying an electric field between the plates→mechanical deformation of the crystalMechanical force is applied between the plates → the crystal generates an electric fieldPiezoelectric effect: alternating voltage → mechanical vibration → alternating voltageWhen the alternating voltage frequency = natural frequency, the amplitude is the largest → piezoelectric resonanceThe natural frequency of mechanical vibration is related to the size of the wafer, and the stability is high.4.3 Quartz Crystal Oscillator CircuitThe high quality factor of quartz crystal is used to form an LC oscillator circuit.(1) Parallel Type quartz crystal oscillatorFigure18. Parallel Type Quartz Crystal Oscillator Quartz crystal works between fs and fp, which is quite a large inductance, and forms a capacitive three-point oscillator with C1 and C2. Because the Q value of the quartz crystal is very high, which can reach more than several thousand, the circuit can obtain high oscillation frequency stability.Figure19. Frequency Characteristics of Parallel Quartz Crystal Oscillator (2) Series type quartz crystal oscillatorFigure20. Series Type Quartz Crystal Oscillator Circuit The quartz crystal works at fs, which is resistive and has the smallest impedance, the strongest positive feedback, and zero phase shift, which meets the phase balance condition of oscillation.For frequencies other than fs, the impedance of the quartz crystal increases, and the phase shift is not zero, then the oscillation condition is not met, and the circuit does not oscillate.Figure21. Frequency Characteristics of Series Quartz Crystal OscillatorV Non-sine Wave Generating Circuit5.1 What is a Non-sine Wave Generating Circuit?It is composed of an integrating circuit and a hysteresis comparator circuit. The role of the integrator circuit is to produce a transient process. The hysteresis comparator acts as a switch, that is, the steady state is destroyed by the continuous closing of the switch, and a transient process is generated.Commonly used non-sine wave generating circuits include rectangular wave generating circuits, triangular wave generating circuits and sawtooth wave generating circuits, etc. They are often used as signal sources in pulse and digital systems.5.2 Rectangular Wave GeneratorIt is composed of hysteresis comparison circuit and RC timing circuit. The output has no steady state and there are two transient states; if the output is high level, it is defined as the first transient state, and the output is low level as the second transient state.Basic components:(1) Switching circuit: The output has only two situations of high level and low level, called two states; therefore, a voltage comparator is used.(2) Feedback network: self-control, when the output is in a certain state, it breeds the condition of turning into another state. Feedback should be introduced.(3) Delay link: Make the two states maintain a certain period of time and determine the oscillation frequency. Use RC circuit to achieve.Circuit composition:Figure22. Rectangular Wave Generating Circuit5.3 Triangle Wave and Sawtooth Wave Signal GeneratorThe circuit structure of the triangle wave generator: hysteresis comparator + inverting integratorworking principle:Figure23. Circuit of Triangle Wave Generator Sawtooth wave generator: change the forward and reverse charging time constant of the integrator, thereby changing the duty cycle.Figure24. Circuit Diagram of Sawtooth Generator uo1=+UZ, D is cut off, charging time constant: R4C.uo1=-UZ, D is on, charging time constant: (R6∥R4)C≈R6C.Figure25. The Waveform of the Sawtooth GeneratorVI QuizLC resonant circuits are used in:a) RF and ultrasonic oscillators.b) AF and ultrasonic oscillators.c) LF sweep oscillators.d) Variable frequency crystal oscillators. Answer: aⅦ FAQ1. What are the uses of an oscillator?Oscillators have very high precision and accuracy usually <100 ppm variation at a max. So with this kind of accuracy, the oscillator can be used as a clock of the microcontroller (the clock is the most essential part of the microcontroller, without an accurate clock, the functionality will be erratic because we cannot expect the output at the same time we have designed it for). All the quartz-based watches use an Oscillator (32kHz quartz crystal) to keep the time. SO if your timekeeping devices are running with an oscillator, you can imagine the accuracy.Oscillators can additionally be used to generate waveforms required in test benches. In almost all the applications where timing and synchronization are very essential, an oscillator finds its place. For example, in communication systems (whichever electronic communication you consider let it be a telephone, lan, anything) an oscillator is the heart.An oscillator can be used in power systems to generate accurate power waveforms. 2. What is the function of a local oscillator?A local oscillator is used in transmitters and receivers to add or subtract an amount to a basic carrier and modulation. Very handy, as it’s easiest to build up a carrier and modulate it at a low frequency, like 445Kc or 10.7MHz, and then add to it a “LO” to get it up to the FM band or the Gigahertz Wifi or radar bands. The same thing on receive, you first use a 'LO' to subtract down to an intermediate frequency where it’s so much easier to amplify and filter. 3. How do you make a crystal oscillator?The simplest is to use a logic inverter. Put a crystal between the input and output. Some schematics show some caps from the crystal legs to the ground and some show a series resistor. 4. Which type of circuit is used in the oscillator?Types of Oscillators: Harmonic Oscillators & Crystal Oscillators. Harmonic or linear oscillators produce a sinusoidal output where a signal increases and decreases at a predictable level over time. Two basic types are RC, or resistor/capacitor circuits, as well as LC, or inductor-capacitor circuits. 5. What is an Oscillator and the types of oscillators?An oscillator is a type of circuit that controls the repetitive discharge of a signal, and there are two main types of the oscillator; a relaxation, or a harmonic oscillator. This signal is often used in devices that require a measured, continual motion that can be used for some other purpose. 6. What is the basic principle of an oscillator?There are many types of electronic oscillators, but they all operate according to the same basic principle: an oscillator always employs a sensitive amplifier whose output is fed back to the input in phase. Thus, the signal regenerates and sustains itself. This is known as positive feedback. 7. What is the working of the oscillator?Oscillators convert direct current (DC) from a power supply to an alternating current (AC) signal. They are widely used in many electronic devices ranging from simplest clock generators to digital instruments (like calculators) and complex computers and peripherals etc. 8. How does an oscillator work without input?An oscillator circuit uses a vacuum tube or a transistor to generate an AC output. ... For continuously generating output without the requirement of any input from the preceding stage, a feedback circuit is used. From the above block diagram, the oscillator circuit produces oscillations that are further amplified by the amplifier. 9. What causes oscillation?If a constant force such as gravity is added to the system, the point of equilibrium is shifted. ... In the spring-mass system, oscillations occur because, at the static equilibrium displacement, the mass has kinetic energy which is converted into potential energy stored in the spring at the extremes of its path. 10. What is the difference between oscillator and inverter?The oscillator is a generalized term for an active circuit that produces a periodic waveform. The inverter is a specialized term for a system that contains an oscillator and produces large amounts of power(such as AC) from a source (like a DC battery). The oscillator has no input and produces an oscillating wave as output. 

IntroductionA relay is an electronic control device, which has a control system (also called an input loop) and a controlled system (also called an output loop). It is often used in automatic control circuits. In fact, it is an automated switch using a smaller current to control a larger current. Therefore, it plays the role of automatic adjustment, safety protection, and converter in the circuit. Relay has the features of fast response speed, stable work, long service life and small size. In order to ensure that these performances can be better played, the test and maintenance of the relay (solid state relay) are particularly important. This paper will introduce main relay test parameters, how to test a relay, an example of an automotive relay test.Testing a RelayCatalogIntroductionⅠ Understanding Relays  1.1 Relay ParametersⅡ How to Test A Relay?  2.1 General Test Ideas  2.2 Types of Relay TestⅢ Relay for Life: Automotive Relay Test  3.1 Automotive Relay  3.2 Common Faults of Automotive Relays  3.3 Detection Method  3.4 Specific OperationⅣ One Question Related to Relay Test and Going Further  4.1 Question  4.2 AnswerⅤ Frequently Asked Questions about Relay TestⅠ Understanding Relays1.1 Relay ParametersMain relay parameters include rated working voltage, rated working current, coil resistance, contact load, etc.1) Rated working voltage refers to the voltage required by the coil when the relay is working normally. For DC relays it refers to DC voltage (Figure a), and for AC relays it refers to AC voltage (Figure b). Relays of the same type often have multiple assessed operating voltages for circuit requirements, and the specification number is added to the end of the component to distinguish.Figure 1. Relay Symbol2) The rated working current refers to the current required by the coil when the relay is working normally.Coil resistance refers to the DC resistance of the relay coil. When selecting a relay, you must ensure that it is rated working voltage and rated working current meet the requirements.Figure 2. Rated Working Current3) Contact load refers to the load capacity of the relay contact, also known as the contact capacity. For example, the contact load of the jzx-10m relay is:  DC 28v×2a or AC 115v×1a. When used, the voltage and current passing through the relay contact should not exceed the rated value, otherwise, the contact will be burned out and the relay will be damaged. A load of multiple sets of contacts of a relay is generally the same.Figure 3. Contact LoadRecommended Reading: Basic Knowledge of Relay Electronics Tutorial with Video    The Role of the Relay and Its Working Principle Ⅱ How to Test A Relay?Relays are widely used in power protection, automation, sport, remote control, measurement and communication devices, so it is very important to check and maintain the normal operation of relays. There are many types of relays. Therefore, the inspection of relays cannot only be judged by measuring the resistance value of the coil. It is necessary to adopt multiple detection methods according to different relay types.2.1 General Test Ideas1) measuring contact resistanceApply the specified working voltage to the relay coil, and use a multimeter to detect the on-off condition of the contact at the “R×1k” gear. When the power is not applied, the normally open contact does not work, and the normally closed contact conducts. When the power is turned on, you should be able to hear the pick-up sound of the relay. At this time, the normally open contact is conducting and the normally closed contact is opposite, and the switching contact should be switched accordingly. Otherwise, the relay is damaged. For multi-group contact relays, if some of the contacts are damaged, the remaining contacts can still be used.Figure 4. Relay Test 2) measuring coil resistanceThe resistance value of the relay coil can be measured with the multimeter at R×10Ω gear, so as to determine whether the coil is open. 3) measuring of pull-in voltage and currentUse an adjustable regulated power supply to input a set of voltage to the relay, and connect an ammeter in the power supply circuit to monitor. Increase the power supply voltage slowly, and when you hear the pull-in sound of the relay, write down the voltage and current. In order to be accurate, you can try several times to get the average value. 4) measuring the release voltage and currentSame test connection like the above. When the relay pulls in, then gradually reduce the supply voltage. When you hear the relay release sound again, write down the voltage and current at this time. Try several times to get the average release voltage and release current. Under normal circumstances, the release voltage of the relay is about 10-50% of the pull-in voltage. If the release voltage is too small (less than 1/10 of the pull-in voltage), it can't be used normally, which will affect the circuit stability resulting in abnormal operation. 2.2 Types of Relay TestElectromagnetic Relay TestFigure 5. Electromagnetic RelayThe multimeter is placed in the “R×100” or “R×1k” gear, and the two test leads (regardless of positive and negative) are connected to the two pins of the relay coil (shown in Figure 5). The indication of the multimeter should basically match the coil resistance of the relay. If the resistance value is obviously too small, it means that the coil is short-circuited locally; if the resistance value is 0, it means that there is a short circuit between the two coil pins; if the resistance value is infinite, it means that the coil is open or the pins are disconnected. Reed Relay TestReed relay is also one of the most commonly used relays. It consists of a reed switch and a coil, as shown in Figure 6. The reed switch is made by sealing two non-interconnected ferromagnetic metal strips in a glass tube, and the reed switch is placed in the coil. When the current passes through the coil, the magnetic field generated by the coil magnetizes the metal strips in the reed pipe, and the two metal strips attract due to opposite polarities to connect the controlled circuit. Several reed pipes can be placed in the coil, and they will act simultaneously under the action of the coil's magnetic field.Figure 6. Reed Relay Reed relay has a pair of coil pins and several pairs of reed switch pins, and there are corresponding marks on the shell for identification.Figure 7. Reed Relay Reed relays can also use a multimeter to detect their coils and contacts, and the detection method is the same as that of electromagnetic relays.Figure 8. Reed Relay Solid State Relay (SSR) TestThe input end can be tested with a multimeter. The multimeter is placed in the "R×10k" gear, the black test lead (the positive electrode of the battery in the meter) is connected to the positive electrode of the SSR input terminal, and the red test lead (that is, the negative electrode of the battery in the meter) is connected to the negative electrode of the input terminal of SSR. The hands should deflect more than halfway (Figure 9). Re-testing after swapping the two test leads, the hands should not move. If the needle deflects to the top or does not move regardless of the forward or reverse voltage access, the solid-state relay has been damaged.Figure 9. Solid State Relay  SSR You can also make a test circuit according to Figure 10. When the control voltage of the SSR input terminal is turned on, the light-emitting VD is on; when the control voltage of the SSR input terminal is cut off, the light-emitting diode VD is off.Figure 10. SSR Thermal Relay Test1) heating elements detectionThe heating element is composed of an electric heating wire or electric heating sheet, and its resistance is very small (close to 0Ω). The detection is shown in Figure 11. The normal resistance of the three groups of heating elements should be close to 0Ω. If the resistance is infinite (the digital multimeter displays the symbol "1" or "OL" for exceeding the range), the heating element is open.Figure 11. ① 200Ω gear is selected.② The red and black probes are respectively connected to the two ends of a heating element.③ The resistance is close to 0Ω, indicating that the resistor as a heating element is normal. 2) contact detectionThermal relays generally have a normally closed contact and a normally open contact. This detection includes working and non-working conditions. The first picture is the detection of the normally closed contact resistance when it is not in operation. Normally it should be close to 0Ω. Then the detection is taken in the opposite condition. Move the test rod, as shown in the second picture, simulates the over-current heating and bending of the heating element to make the contact action. The normally closed contact becomes an open circuit, and the resistance is infinite.Figure 12. ① 200Ω gear is selected.② The red and black probes are connected to both ends of the normally closed contact.③ The resistance is close to 0 Ω, indicating that the normally closed contact is closed.④ Move the test rod by hand.⑤ The out-of-range symbol "1" is displayed to indicate that the normally closed contact is open. Intermediate Relay TestThe electrical part of the intermediate relay is composed of coils and contacts, both of which use the resistance gear of a multimeter.1) The contact is detected when the control coil is not powered. Contacts include normally open contacts and normally closed contacts. When the control coil is power off, the normally open contacts are open and the resistance is infinite, at this time, the normally closed contacts are closed and the resistance is close to 0Ω. The above-mentioned detection of the normally open contact is shown in the figure below.Figure 13.① 200Ω gear is selected.② The red and black probes are connected to both ends of normally open contact.③ The out-of-range symbol "1" is displayed to indicate that the normally open contact is open. 2) Control coil detection of the intermediate relay is shown in Figure 14. Generally, the greater the rated current of the contact, the smaller the resistance of the control coil. This is because the greater the rated current of the contact, the larger the volume of the contact. Only a small control coil resistance (thicker line diameter) can flow through a larger current to produce a stronger magnetic field suction contact.Figure 14. ① 200Ω gear is selected for the gear switch.② Connect the red and black lead to the two pins of the control coil.③ The display of "6.60" indicates that the resistance of the control coil is 6.6kΩ.3) Power on the control coil to detect the contacts. Apply a rated voltage to the control coil, then use a multimeter to detect the resistance of the normally open and normally closed contacts. The normally open contact should be closed and the resistance should be close to 0Ω; the normally closed contact should be open and the resistance is infinite. Time Relay TestThe detection of time relay mainly includes contact normal state detection, coil detection and coil energization detection.1) Normal-state detection of contacts. It refers to the detection of the resistance of the contact when the control coil is not energized. The normally open contact is open and the resistance is infinite, while the normally closed contact is closed, and the resistance is close to 0Ω. Normal detection processes are shown in the figure below.Figure 15. ① 200Ω gear is selected for the gear switch.② The red and black lead is connected with two pins of a normally closed contact.③ The resistance is close to 0Ω, indicating that the normally closed contact is closed. 2) Detection of control coil. It is shown in Figure 16.Figure 16. ① 20kΩ gear is selected for the gear switch.② Connect the red and black lead to the two pins of the control coil.③ The display of "4.93" indicates that the resistance of the control coil is 4.93kΩ.3) Power on the control coil to detect the contacts. Apply a rated voltage to the control coil, then check whether the contact status has changed according to the characteristics of types of the time relay. For example, for a delay time relay, after a period of time delay, check whether the delay contact is closed (resistance is close to 0Ω) and whether the delay contact is disconnected (resistance is infinite).  Ⅲ Relay for Life: Automotive Relay Test3.1 Automotive RelayRelays are widely used in automotive circuits, such as starting system circuits, wiper circuits, and rear window heating circuits. When the vehicle starts, a larger starting current is required. If the ignition switch is used for direct control, the starting contacts will ignite and burn, which will affect the service life of the ignition switch and even cause serious consequences such as line ablation and fire. Using a relay to control a large current with a small current will not cause the above problems. When a certain voltage or current is applied to both ends of the electromagnetic relay coil, the magnetic flux generated by the coil passes through the magnetic circuit composed of the core, yoke, armature, and the working air gap of the magnetic circuit. Under the action of the magnetic field, the armature attracts the pole face of the iron core, making the normally closed contact opens and the normally open contact close. When the voltage or current at both ends of the coil is less than a certain value, the mechanical reaction force is greater than the electromagnetic attraction force, and the armature returns to the initial state: the normally closed contact is on and the normally open contact is off. One of the automobile relays functions is a switch; the other is load overload protection; the third is fault protection. 3.2 Common Faults of Automotive RelaysIncluding coil burnt, short circuit, insulation part aging, contact ablation, etc.1) Relay MalfunctionWhen the controlled circuit is required to be closed, the relay will not act, on the contrary, when the controlled circuit is not required to be closed, the relay will act. This kind of problem occurs mainly because the interference voltage in the circuit exceeds the allowable range of the drive circuit of the relay. When designing the circuit, pay attention to the factors that can cause interference (such as chip command errors, short circuits, grid fluctuations, etc.). 2) Relay BurnedThere are many reasons for burnout. For example, the actual switching current exceeds the rated switching current of the relay, and the actual inrush current exceeds the rated switching current of the relay. According to design experience, in order to avoid these problems, the rated current should be selected to be 2-3 times the actual switching current, and the impact current of the relay is 2-3 times the actual current. 3) Contact WeldingGenerally speaking, the temperature rise of the AC conversion relay coil is higher than that of the DC conversion relay. This is because of the eddy current loss and hysteresis loss in the magnetic circuit. In addition, when the AC conversion relay is operating at a voltage lower than the rated voltage, a bounce phenomenon may occur. This will cause burnout, welding of contacts and damage to the relay, or disconnection of the self-protection circuit. Therefore, measures must be taken to prevent fluctuations in the power supply voltage.In addition, regardless of the length of the fluctuation time, it will cause the failure of the relay. So ensure that there is a power supply with sufficient capacity. 4) Coil Temperature Rise is Too HighThe loss of magnetic materials such as copper wires and iron cores or the heat transfer of the contacts will cause the temperature rise. Therefore, the heat resistance of the insulating material and the distance between the relay and the heat-generating device should be paid special attention in the circuit design. 3.3 Detection MethodStatic detection: check the resistance of the coil and the resistance of the normally closed contact.Dynamic detection: energize the coil and detect the resistance of the normally open contact. 3.4 Specific OperationTurn on the ignition switch and hear whether there is a pull-in sound in the control relay or feel the relay with your hands for vibration. If so, it means that the relay is basically in routine. The failure of the circuit may be caused by other reasons. On the contrary, it means that the relay is faulty.Replace the relay to be tested with an identical working relay. Turn on the switch, and if the electrical equipment is working normally, it can be determined there is a problem with the relay to be tested.Use the multimeter Rx100Ω gear and combine the resistance of each pin of the circuit to analyze. If the conduction and disconnection are normal, it means that there is no problem with the relay, otherwise, it means the relay is faulty.Open the relay shell to check whether the contacts are ablated or oxidized. If there are bumps and rust on the contact, it means that the contact is ablated or oxidized and does not work properly.Check whether the coil is ablated or discolored. If the coil is ablated with jelly, the coil is black or has a gluey smell, which means the coil is short-circuited by ablation.Ⅳ One Question Related to Relay Test and Going Further4.1 QuestionWhat are the symptoms of a bad car relay?4.2 AnswerThe car suddenly stalls while operating. One of the most common symptoms of a failed ignition relay is a car that suddenly stalls while operating. Car not starting. Another symptom of a faulty ignition relay is a no-power condition.Dead battery. A dead battery is another symptom of a faulty ignition relay.Burned relay. Ⅴ Frequently Asked Questions about Relay Test1. How do you check if a relay is bad?The only tool required to check a relay is a multimeter. With the relay removed from the fuse box, the multimeter set to measure DC voltage and the switch in the cab activated, first check to see if there are 12 volts at the 85 positions in the fuse box where the relay plugs in (or wherever the relay is located). 2. How do you test a 12-volt relay? 3. How do you check an overload relay with a multimeter?CEP7 Overload Relay test proceduresMeasure the normal motor running current (i motor).Turn off the motor and let it cool for about 10 minutes.Calculate the following ratio: i (motor) / i (overload min FLA).Set the overload to its minimum FLA and turn on the motor.Wait for the overload to trip. 4. How do I test a solid-state relay?The SSR can be tested as described below if a load is connected. Connect a load and power supply, and check the voltage of the load terminals with the input ON and OFF. The output voltage will be close to the load power supply voltage with the SSR turned OFF. 5. Can a bad relay drain your battery?Battery drain or dead batteryA failed ECM power relay can also cause a battery drain or a dead battery. If the relay shorts, it can leave power on to the computer, even when the vehicle is turned off. This will place a parasitic drain on the battery, which will eventually cause it to go dead. 6. What happens when the main relay goes bad?The engine will not startIf the main relay is not supplying the engine computer with the power it needs, then the engine will not be able to crank and run the right way. Failing to get the main relay replaced will usually lead to the car being unusable. 7. How do you test a battery relay? 8. How do you test a protection relay?Protection relay self-test procedureThis will normally involve checking the relay watchdog circuit, exercising all digital inputs and outputs and checking that the relay analog inputs are within calibration by applying a test current or voltage. 9. How do you check if a relay is working?The only tool required to check a relay is a multimeter. With the relay removed from the fuse box, the multimeter set to measure DC voltage and the switch in the cab activated, first check to see if there are 12 volts at the 85 positions in the fuse box where the relay plugs in (or wherever the relay is located). 10. How do you test an electromagnetic relay?Grab a multimeter and set it to Ohms. Touch the leads across the electromagnet coil pins and measure resistance. Anywhere from 50-120 ohms is OK. Out of range or open means a bad electromagnet coil winding and time for a new relay.

IntroductionWhat is the difference between a three-phase AC motor and a single-phase AC motor? If you pay attention to it, you will find that single-phase AC motors have more equipment than three-phase AC motors, which is the start capacitor (starting capacitor). The most common one is in various household appliances. Almost all household appliances with motors are equipped with start capacitors. This article will start with the explanation of the principle of the motor start capacitor, and then describe in detail the failure phenomena, causes and test methods of the start capacitors in the two common home appliances, air conditioners and fans. In addition, the article will also explain some basic questions about start/run capacitors. If you want to learn the related knowledge of motor start capacitors, this article must be worthy of your reading.How to test a RUN or START CAPACITOR the CORRECT wayCatalogIntroductionCatalogI The Principle and Causes of Damage of Start Capacitor 1.1 How Does the Motor Work? 1.2 How Does the Start Capacitor Work? 1.3 Reasons for the Burning of the Start CapacitorII Troubleshooting of Start Capacitor in Air Conditioner 2.1 Functional Characteristics of Start Capacitor 2.2 How to Quickly Figure out Whether the Start Capacitor is Damaged 2.3 Why is the Start Capacitor of the Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit Easy to Damage? 2.4 Symptoms and Test MethodsIII How Test the Motor Start Capacitor of a Fan?IV Relevant Knowledge in the Step of Start Capacitor Test 4.1 How to Choose Start Capacitor? 4.2 Precautions for Replacing the Start CapacitorV How to Test the Motor Start Capacitor without a MultimeterVI Frequently Asked Questions about Start Capacitors 6.1 Which Motors are Served by the Start Capacitor? 6.2 Why Does a Three-phase Motor do not Need a Start Capacitor? 6.3 The Relationship Between Start Capacitors and Motor 6.4 What are the Functions of Start Capacitors, Run Capacitors, and Centrifugal Switches in Single-phase Motors?VII QuizⅧ FAQI The Principle and Causes of Damage of Start Capacitor1.1 How Does the Motor Work?The single-phase current flowing through a single-phase motor cannot generate a rotating magnetic field, and a capacitor is needed to separate the phases. The purpose is to make the current in the two windings produce a phase difference of nearly 90 ゜ to generate a rotating magnetic field. The capacitive induction motor has two windings, namely the starting winding and the running winding. The two windings are 90 degrees apart in space. A large-capacity capacitor is connected in series to the starting winding. When the running winding and the starting winding pass single-phase alternating current, the current in the starting winding is 90 degrees ahead of the current in the running winding due to the action of the capacitor, thus reaching the maximum value first. Two identical pulsed magnetic fields are formed in time and space so that a rotating magnetic field is generated in the air gap between the stator and the rotor. Under the action of the rotating magnetic field, an induced current is generated in the motor rotor, and the current interacts with the rotating magnetic field. The electromagnetic field torque causes the motor to rotate.Figure1. Electric-Motor1.2 How Does the Start Capacitor Work?A single-phase power supply is different from a three-phase power supply in that a three-phase rotating magnetic field is generated in the motor. The principle of capacitor starting of single-phase motor is: using the principle that the current of the capacitor in the circuit is advanced by 90 degrees so that a magnetic field of 90 degrees ahead of the main winding is generated in the starting winding so that there will be an alternating 90-degree angle in the motor. The magnetic field, to put it plainly, uses the phase-shifting principle of the capacitor to transform a single-phase power supply into a two-phase power supply of 90 degrees to each other, and a rotating magnetic field of 90 degrees to each other is generated in the motor. Maybe it is easier to understand to explain from this aspect. The start capacitor is to give the motor a thrust when the motor is started so that the motor can turn from moving to rotating. Without it, when a single-phase AC motor starts, it will shake at the origin instead of rotating; the start capacitor is a two-phase AC motor, so the magnetic field cannot exert force on the rotor without it, and of course, it is impossible to rotate.Figure2. Capacitor Start Run Induction Motor1.3 Reasons for the Burning of the Start CapacitorGenerally, the start capacitor is not easy to burn, because its working time is very short, and it is thrown off by the centrifugal switch at the moment of starting, with no current flowing through the start capacitor. However, not easy to burn does not mean that it will never burn. If the start capacitor burns out, the possible reasons are as follows:① Capacitors have low voltage resistance or poor quality, so it is best to use capacitors with a voltage resistance of 500V. ② The centrifugal switch will often produce an arc when it is turned off. It is possible to burn the switch to the motor. After the switch is started, the switch cannot be turned off. There is always current through the capacitor. It is easy to burn the secondary winding of the motor and the start capacitor within a certain period of time. ③ The capacity of the selected capacitor is too small, and the starting current exceeds the allowable value of the capacitor. ④ The motor is bored or the bearing is damaged. It is difficult for the motor to start the centrifugal switch within a certain period of time and it is difficult to reach the disconnected speed, and the start capacitor is easy to burn.Figure3. Deteriorated CapacitorII Troubleshooting of Start Capacitor in Air Conditioner2.1 Functional Characteristics of Start CapacitorThe start capacitor is an important part of the auxiliary compressor to start. The capacitor is a large-capacity capacitor (1~6uF), which is used to provide starting current for the auxiliary winding of the motor to assist the compressor to start. The start capacitor is generally fixed on the bracket or support plate above the compressor, and the pin is connected to the starting end of the compressor.2.2 How to Quickly Figure out Whether the Start Capacitor is DamagedFirst of all, it depends on what kind of capacitors are used in electrical parts.● If the compressor start/run capacitor is damaged, the compressor cannot start or run intermittently.● If the capacitor of the fan motor is damaged, some malfunctions such as excessive exhaust temperature, excessive exhaust pressure, compressor overload, and small air output will occur during the operation of the air conditioner.2.3 Why is the Start Capacitor of the Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit Easy to Damage?The capacitor of the air conditioner compressor is installed in the outdoor unit. Due to the high temperature of the outdoor unit (ambient temperature + temperature emitted by the condenser), capacitors that have been used for a long time will easily dry up and fail the electrolyte.When replacing capacitors, be sure to use high-quality capacitors. The capacity must be the same, and the withstand voltage must not be lower than the original standard.Figure4. Air Conditioner Outdoor Unit2.4 Symptoms and Test Methods① Smoke.② Cannot operate normally.③ The display cannot be displayed normally.④ The power supply cannot be charged and discharged normally.⑤ Can not heat normally.⑥ The power factor compensates the capacitor damage, resulting in a waste of electricity. Different symptoms of damage to compressor start capacitor and external motor start capacitor:There are two capacitors in the outdoor electromechanical packaging, the larger one is the compressor capacitor, and the smaller one is the external motor capacitor. Different capacitors have different failure phenomena. ① Compressor capacitor damagethe performance phenomenon is that normal compressor startup will be accompanied by loud noise and jitter. If the capacitor is damaged, you will feel a slight jitter in the compressor by pressing the casing above the compressor, and the sound is like the sound of current passing. The compressor will stop running after a period of time. ② The damage of the external motor capacitorAfter the compressor is working normally, the external motor stops working for a period of time. If there is a fault code, there will be high-pressure protection and compressor exhaust pipe temperature protection.Figure5. Basic Electrical Controls of Air-Conditioning UnitsTest methods of air conditioner start capacitor● Method 1:The start capacitor of the air-conditioning compressor is a large-capacity electrolytic capacitor. When testing, using the capacitance setting of the digital multimeter to determine whether there is any abnormality.Under normal circumstances, the capacitance of the capacitor used to detect the capacitance of a multimeter should be the same or very close to the nominal capacitance, otherwise, the start capacitor is mostly deteriorating, such as dry electrolyte, leakage, etc., which should be replaced. ● Method 2:In addition to using a multimeter to test its capacitance, the ohmic setting of a pointer multimeter can also be used to test the charge and discharge performance of the start capacitor.Steps:① Connect the red and black test leads to the two poles of the compressor start capacitor.② The multimeter gear is set in ohm gear.③ Under normal circumstances, the pointer of the multimeter first swings to the right to a position, then slowly swings to the left, and finally stops at a fixed position.④If the pointer does not swing or the swing range is small, it indicates that the performance of the compressor start capacitor is poor.Suggested Reading: 5 Ways to Test Capacitors How to replace the start capacitor?If it is ensured that the air conditioner failure is caused by the damage of the compressor start capacitor itself, the damaged compressor start capacitor needs to be replaced. Replacing the start capacitor can generally be divided into three steps: removing the start capacitor, finding a replaceable start capacitor, and replacing the start capacitor. ①Remove the start capacitorThe compressor start capacitor is located on the circuit support board above the compressor. When disassembling, unplug the connecting wire and use a screwdriver to remove the fixing screw of the snap ring. ② Looking for replaceable capacitorsAfter removing the damaged compressor start capacitor, then select a suitable new start capacitor to replace it according to the specifications and volume of the damaged start capacitor.The specific content of how to select the start capacitor will be explained in detail below. ③Replace the start capacitorAfter selecting the compressor start capacitor, install the new compressor start capacitor in the outdoor unit, fix the metal fixing ring, reconnect the connecting cable, and then power on and test the machine to complete the replacement.Figure6. Motor Start CapacitorIII How Test the Motor Start Capacitor of a Fan?①Connect all parts on the circuit board of the air conditioner completely.②Turn on the power supply.③Use the remote control to adjust the temperature to make the fan motor rotate.④Connect the ground terminal of the oscilloscope probe to the ground terminal of the circuit board.⑤Use an oscilloscope probe to detect the white lead on the Hall element plug.⑥The oscilloscope shows signal waveform. When testing the start capacitor of the fan motor, a multimeter should be used to measure the resistance of the capacitor. Due to the large size of the capacitor, it is impossible to use the capacitor input jack for testing. At this time, you can use the multimeter pen to test and judge the quality of the capacitor by the change of the value displayed by the multimeter. If the resistance value displayed by the multimeter changes from small to large and then changes to infinity, it means that this is a good capacitor with charging and discharging functions. Check again after changing the test leads, the displayed value still changes from small to large, and changes to infinity. After measuring the capacitor, if the test leads are not replaced when the test is performed again, and the resistance value is displayed as infinite, it means that charging and discharging are not performed, but it does not mean that the capacitor is damaged. Therefore, when testing the capacitance, the test leads must be replaced no matter which multimeter is used.Figure7. Fan MotorRelated recommendation: How to Test Ceramic Disc Capacitor IV Relevant Knowledge in the Step of Start Capacitor Test4.1 How to Choose Start Capacitor?● How to calculate the starting and running capacitance of a single motorrun capacitance C=120000*I/2.4*f*U*cosφWhere: I is current; f is the frequency; U is the voltage; cosφ is the power factor, taking 0.5 to 0.7. The run voltage of the run capacitor is greater than or equal to (2～2.3) U.Start capacitor capacity = (1.5 ~ 2.5) run capacitor capacity.The run voltage of the start capacitor is greater than or equal to 1.42 U.(It is best when the voltage across the capacitor is 311V during operation) The working capacitor is 1-4UF per 100W, and the start capacitor is 4-10 times the working capacitor (the motor requires a larger starting torque). Empirical data, if your motor does not exceed 200W, the start capacitor will not exceed 100uF. If you run the capacitor, you can choose several values for the power-on test, and see which capacitor has the smallest current in the whole machine, then the capacity of the capacitor is the most Good value.) The capacity of the single-phase split-phase motor capacitor can be calculated by the empirical formula C=35000I/2PUfcos&Such as I=250W/220V=1.2AC=35000x1.2/2x1x50x220X0.8=24ufCan choose 350V30uf capacitance.Figure8. Starting Capacitor Table ● How to calculate the voltage across the run capacitor of a single-phase motor?① First of all, you must know the impedance value of the secondary winding. You can measure the resistance value by measuring the DC resistance with a multimeter. Then, the secondary winding is connected to a 12V AC voltage and the current value is measured. According to the winding impedance equal to the resistance and reactance in series, it can be calculated by phasor Out the winding inductance value. ② In normal operation, the capacitor is connected in series on the secondary winding, that is, the three equivalent parameters of winding resistance, winding reactance, and capacitance are connected in series and then connected to 220V voltage. It is easy to calculate the phasor according to the formula of the series circuit. Calculate the voltage on the capacitor. ③ When a single-phase motor is running, the voltage at both ends of the capacitor is generally above 300VAC, so the capacitor voltage is generally selected for a capacitor with a withstand voltage of 400V or more, and a capacitor with a voltage of more than 450V is better. ④ For the calculation of the capacitance withstand voltage, please refer to Article 2. First, measure the resistance R and reactance XL of the secondary winding, and then select the capacitance C according to the power of the motor to calculate the capacitive reactance Xc.The actual voltage across the capacitor during operation: Uc= Xc*220/(R+jXL-jXc); the withstand voltage value of the capacitor: Uce=1.3~1.5Uc.Figure9. Single Phase Motor Starting ● Detailed selection guide of start capacitor and run capacitorSingle-phase motor capacitor selection.Withstand voltage formula: U (capacitance) is greater than or equal to 1.5*USingle-phase run capacitor formula: C=1950×I/U×cosφ (using a capacitor, which is both a start capacitor and a run capacitor, is commonly used for small-capacity motors such as electric fans and washing machines)Start capacitor capacity formula: C=3500*I/U*cosφ (a capacitor is only used when starting, disconnected during normal operation, and switched with a transfer switch or a centrifugal switch.Dual-value capacitor run capacitor capacity formula: C=1200*I/U*cosφ (use 2 capacitors, one for operation and one for startup)Dual-value capacitor start capacitor capacity formula: C=(2～3)*C (run capacitor) C: Capacitor capacity: I: motor rated current, U: motor rated voltage, cosφ: power factor 0.7.Generally, there is no need to calculate. The run capacitor is 2~3μF per 100W, and the start capacitor is 2~3 times the run capacitor. The capacitor selection of the motor has strict requirements on the voltage, and it must be equal to or greater than 1.5 times the rated voltage of the motor. For a power supply with a rated voltage of 220V, the rated voltage of the capacitor cannot be lower than 400V. The capacitance value has a certain broadness, it doesn't matter if it is larger or smaller, especially the start capacitor, which can be selected at 2-6 times the working capacitor. ● How to choose the capacitor of single-phase asynchronous capacitor start the motorWe can calculate according to the following formulaPhase start capacitor capacity:C=350000*I/2p*f*U*cosφIn the formula: I---current;f-frequency;U---voltage;2p-the larger power factor is 2, and the smaller power factor is 4; cosφ---power factor (0.4～0.8).Split-phase start capacitor withstand voltage:The capacitor withstand voltage is greater than or equal to 1.42*U. Run capacitor capacity:C=120000*I/2p*f*U*cosφIn the formula: I---current;f-frequency;U---voltage;2p-take 2.4;cosφ---power factor (0.4～0.8). Run capacitor withstand voltage:The withstand voltage of the capacitor is greater than or equal to (2～2.3)*U.start capacitor capacity of double-value capacitor motor:C=(1.5～2.5)*operating capacitor capacity.Withstand voltage of start capacitor:The capacitor withstand voltage is greater than or equal to 1.42*U.4.2 Precautions for Replacing the Start CapacitorThe start capacitor is an important part of the electronic circuit. Once the start capacitor is broken, the motor cannot be started. The damaged start capacitor will only make a buzzing sound when it is energized for a short time, causing the current to surge, and long-time energization will cause severe overheating and even burn the motor, so it should be replaced immediately. And it is not difficult to judge that the start capacitor is broken. Most of the damaged start capacitors are bulging, and the surface will be burnt due to excessive current, and the rotor speed will be slow and weak. Of course, the most intuitive and accurate way is to use the capacitance setting of a multimeter to measure the quality. Once we have confirmed that the start capacitor has failed, the things that should be noted when replacing the start capacitor:① After the start capacitor is discharged, there will still be part of the residual charge that cannot be discharged for a while, and an artificial discharge should be performed again. ② Since the failed start capacitor may have poor lead contact, internal disconnection or fuse blown, etc., part of the charge may not be discharged. Therefore, the maintenance personnel should wear insulating gloves before touching the failed start capacitor. Using the short-circuit wire to short the two poles of the faulty capacitor first, and then it can be removed and replaced by hand. ③ If multiple start capacitors are used in series, they should be discharged separately.Figure10. Replace the Start Capacitor④ When handling or replacing a malfunctioning start capacitor, disconnect the power supply of the start capacitor, disconnect the switch or unplug the plug, and discharge the start capacitor. ⑤ When discharging, first connect the grounding terminal of the grounding wire, and then use the grounding rod to discharge the start capacitor several times until there is no discharge spark or discharge sound, and then fix the grounding terminal. ⑥ It should also be noted that general users often ignore the instruction manual, and the precautions for use must be carefully understood and followed during installation. As we all know, the impedance of a capacitor is inversely proportional to frequency. As the frequency increases, the loss also increases. Measures should be taken to limit the harmonics and inrush current in the circuit. Capacitors always generate heat, so pay special attention to ventilation and cooling. After the reactive power compensation device is installed, during the trial operation, the system should be tested, and measures should be taken in time if over-voltage, over-current, oscillation, and harmonics are found, which is very necessary for the normal operation of the capacitor. V How to Test the Motor Start Capacitor without a MultimeterA DC voltmeter can be connected to the capacitor in parallel, and an insulating shaker can be used to charge the capacitor (note the + and-poles)(1) See if the voltage can rise to the rated voltage of the capacitor:① 0V, the capacitor is short-circuited.② Slowly rise to the rated voltage of the capacitor, it proves that the capacitor is good.③ Raised quickly to the rated voltage of the capacitor, and the insulation resistance is about the internal resistance of the DC voltmeter, then the capacitor is open.(2) When it is stable at the rated voltage value of the capacitor, look at the insulation resistance of the capacitor:①The insulation resistance is close to the internal resistance of the DC voltmeter, so the capacitance is good.②If the insulation resistance is less than the internal resistance of the DC voltmeter, it means that the leakage of the capacitor is large, and it is easy to generate heat and cannot be used.VI Frequently Asked Questions about Start Capacitors6.1 Which Motors are Served by the Start Capacitor?Although some electrical appliances seem to have similar principles, they are different in the selection of motors, such as electric fans and air conditioners. Most electric fans use single-phase motors. Single-phase motors have only one 220v live wire and one neutral wire, while air conditioners often uses the three-phase motor, which has three wires, 220v live wire, neutral wire, and 380v live wire. The most obvious difference between a single-phase motor and a three-phase motor is that the number of start capacitors is different. A single-phase motor is equipped with a start capacitor, while a three-phase motor has no start capacitor.6.2 Why Does a Three-phase Motor do not Need a Start Capacitor?Because the three-phase motor itself has three running windings and can generate a magnetic field by itself, the appearance of the magnetic field can effectively replace the start capacitor, so the three-phase motor is generally not equipped with a start capacitor. However, the start capacitor still plays an irreplaceable role in a single-phase motor, because there is only one running winding in a single-phase motor, which cannot form a rotating magnetic field, and the operation of electrical appliances can only rely on the start capacitor. In addition to the start capacitor in a single-phase motor, there is also a run capacitor. Although these two capacitors work together, the function of the start capacitor is much greater than that of the run capacitor, so once they start capacitor is damaged, the fan will make a lot of noise, The blade speed is reduced. If this happens to your electric fan, you might as well try to replace a start capacitor, the problem should be solved.6.3 The Relationship Between Start Capacitors and MotorAt present, in single-phase motors with low-power motors, the start capacitor is connected in series with the starting coil and then connected in parallel with the running coil to work at the same time. In order to speed up the start-up time of the high-power motor, a large capacitor to help start is added. After the motor is started, the additional large start capacitor is disconnected by the centrifugal switch. The smaller capacitor connected in series with the starting coil is responsible for the phase shift required during normal operation. Electric current, the power supply machine is operating normally. Is there a single-phase motor that is connected to the starting coil and connected in parallel with the running coil in the circuit from start to run and does not require other large capacitors to help start? Low-power motors are always used in the circuit. High-power motors have to add additional capacitors due to their large power and large starting distance.Figure11. Torque-speed characteristic6.4 What are the Functions of Start Capacitors, Run Capacitors, and Centrifugal Switches in Single-phase Motors?The start capacitor is used for phase separation, and the purpose is to make the current in the two windings produce a phase difference close to 90 ゜ to generate a rotating magnetic field, allowing the motor to run quickly in a static state. There is an automatic clutch switch in the motor. When the motor is started, the motor will continue to run due to inertia. When the speed reaches a certain speed, the start capacitor will be separated by centrifugal action and automatically connected to the run capacitor, and the motor will enter the normal working state. The function of the run capacitor is to keep the current in the two windings with a phase difference of 90° to generate a continuous rotating magnetic field. For motors with start capacitors, the rotational torque generated by the start capacitors is larger than that of the run capacitors, which is more suitable for starting with a load. Motors without start capacitors are not suitable for starting with a larger load.VII QuizThe starting capacitor of a single phase motor is(A) Electrolytic capacitor(B) Ceramic capacitor(C) Paper capacitor(D) None of the above.Answer: AⅧ FAQ1. What happens when a start capacitor goes bad?A motor connected to a run and start capacitor may still attempt to start if one or both of the capacitors has failed, and this will result in a motor that hums and will not remain running for long. ... In most cases of capacitor problems, such as damage or a loss of charge, the capacitor will need to be replaced. 2. What's the difference between a run capacitor and a start capacitor?The start capacitor creates a current to voltage lag in the separate start windings of the motor. The current builds up slowly, and the armature has an opportunity to begin rotating with the field of current. A run capacitor uses the charge in the dielectric to boost the current which provides power to the motor. 3. How do you test a start capacitor with an ohmmeter?To test the capacitor with a multimeter, set the meter to read in the high ohms range, somewhere above 10k and 1m ohms. Touch the meter leads to the corresponding leads on the capacitor, red to positive and black to negative. The meter should start at zero and then moving slowly toward infinity. 4. How to test a motor start capacitor?Motor run capacitor failure symptoms include warm air flowing from the vents inside the home, the air conditioner taking more time than usual to kick on or it turns off before it is programmed to, or there is a constant low hum emitting from the machine that isn't typical. 5. How do I test a capacitor with a multimeter?To test the capacitor with a multimeter, set the meter to read in the high ohms range, somewhere above 10k and 1m ohms. Touch the meter leads to the corresponding leads on the capacitor, red to positive and black to negative. The meter should start at zero and then moving slowly toward infinity. 6. How do you check if a capacitor is bad with a multimeter?If the capacitance value is within the measurement range, the multimeter will display the capacitor's value. It will display OL if a) the capacitance value is higher than the measurement range or b) the capacitor is faulty. 7. How do I test a capacitor without a multimeter?Just connect those two ends of the capacitor to a single-phase supply and switch it ON for a few seconds. Then take that two-terminal and short it, you will get a spark. 8. How can I check a capacitor?Put the Analog Multimeter in the Ohmmeter position and if there are multiple ranges, choose a higher range. Connect the leads of the capacitor to the multimeter probes and observe the readings on the multimeter. For a good capacitor, the resistance will be low in the beginning and will gradually increase. 9. Can I replace a start capacitor with a run capacitor?Start capacitors give a large capacitance value necessary for motor starting for a very short period of time (usually seconds long). A start capacitor can never be used as a run capacitor because it cannot handle current continuously. 10. Which is bigger, start or run capacitor?A lot of torque is necessary to start up an AC system, so a start capacitor will have greater capacitance than a run capacitor. 

Ⅰ IntroductionThe vacuum tube was an essential part of early radios, used to create and amplify the electrical signals needed for the radio to work. The vacuum tube radio was a new stuff of the early 20th century, and immediately became the "new favorite" of that era with the launch of the radio show. Due to the continuous development of technology and the emergence of transistors, vacuum tubes were swept away by the powerful transistors in the 1960s and 1970s. With the improvement of people's lives, they have a new understanding of sound quality, and people are once again interested in the beautiful sound of vacuum tube radios.Vacuum Tube Radio RepairCatalogⅠ IntroductionⅡ Vacuum Tube Radio Circuit2.1 Input Circuit2.2 Converter Stage2.3 Detection Stage2.4 Intermediate Amplifier Stage2.5 Audio Voltage Amplifier2.6 Audio Power Amplifier Stage2.7 RectifierⅢ Classification3.1 AM Radio3.2 Heterodyne Radio3.3 FM Radio3.4 Service LifeⅣ Audio Maintenance PrincipleⅤ Specific Troubleshooting5.1 Tube Inspection5.2 Resistor Inspection5.3 Capacitor Inspection5.4 Transformer InspectionⅥ One Question Related to Vacuum Tube Radio and Going FurtherCompared with the semiconductor radio, the biggest advantage of the tube radio is that the sound quality is obviously better than that of the semiconductor radio. The second is that it is stable and elegant, with classical temperament. In addition, the history of tube radios is far greater than that of semiconductor radios, which are more valuable for collection. Ⅱ Vacuum Tube Radio CircuitFigure 1. 12AV6 Vacuum Tube Radio Circuit2.1 Input CircuitThe circuit from the antenna of the radio to the input of the first-stage tube is called the input circuit. It has two tasks to complete: One is to transmit the high-frequency signal voltage induced on the antenna to the grid of the first electron tube (usually the frequency conversion stage). To accomplish this task, there should be a certain coupling between the radio antenna and the input circuit to facilitate signal transmission. Second, because the antenna induces a lot of signals, it is necessary to select the radio broadcast signal you want to listen to  suppress unnecessary signals. To accomplish this task, the input circuit should be composed of a selective resonant circuit, so the input circuit should compose of coupling elements and the resonant circuit.Depending on the coupling form of the antenna and the resonance circuit. The input circuit can be divided into three types: inductive coupling (transformer coupling) circuit, capacitive coupling circuit, and inductive capacitive coupling circuit. Since the voltage transmission coefficient of the inductive coupling circuit is relatively high and uniform, tube radio usually adopts this type. In order to improve the suppressing ability of mid-frequency interference (because the intermediate-frequency detuning is smaller for medium wave, and it is larger for short wave.). An intermediate-frequency trap circuit is also applied in the antenna loop.2.2 Converter StageThe converter stage is located between the input circuit and the intermediate amplifier stage. Its function is to change the high-frequency amplitude modulation signal into a fixed intermediate-frequency amplitude modulation signal. In order to complete the task, the frequency converter should be composed of four parts: oscillator (generating a high frequency constant-amplitude oscillating voltage with an intermediate-frequency different from the frequency of the external radio signal), a high frequency circuit (used to select the radio signal, usually it is the input circuit), non-linear components (usually pentagrid converter, used to change the frequency), the intermediate-frequency loop.The converter stage of a tube radio is generally composed of a pentagrid converter tube. The high-frequency circuit is connected to the third grid (signal grid). The oscillator is composed of the screen grid (oscillation anode), the first grid (oscillation grid) and the cathode. The anode load is an intermediate frequency resonance circuit. Therefore, the main mark that distinguishes the converter stage from the tube amplifier is the pentagrid tube and three resonant circuits. The frequency converter can be divided into single-grid converter and double-grid converter according to the different ways of inputting signal voltage and local oscillation voltage. The single-grid inverter applies the signal voltage and the local oscillation voltage to the same electrode of the inverter tube, so the traction effect is large, and the operation is unstable. The double-gate inverter adds the signal voltage and the local oscillation voltage to the different electrodes of the inverter tube separately, the traction effect is greatly reduced, thus double-bar frequency converters are commonly used in tube radios.The structural feature of pentagrid tubes is that there are two metal sheets on the second grid, called the collection screen. It blocks the electrons moving to the anode. There are two metal rods on the third grid in the gap of the collecting screen, which carry negative potential. When the electrons passing through the second grid hit the negatively charged metal rod while advancing, the electrons flying to the anode is divided into two streams, one flying to the anode, and the other being collected by the collecting screen without returning to the cathode. In this way, when the signal grid voltage changes, it will only affect the distribution of the two currents, and has little effect on the total current. Because the local oscillator adopts the total current feedback, the oscillator is basically not affected, so the oscillation frequency is stable. There are many types of frequency converter circuits with different performances, but their principle difference lies in the way of local oscillation feedback. 2.3 Detection StageThe detection stage is located between the intermediate amplifier stage and the audio voltage amplifier stage. Its task is to transform the intermediate-frequency signal into the original modulated audio signal. To complete the task of frequency conversion, the detector must consist of an intermediate-frequency signal circuit (it is the output circuit of an intermediate-frequency amplifier), a non-linear elements (usually a diode), and a load (resistor). 2.4 Intermediate Amplifier StageThe intermediate amplifier stage is located between the frequency converter stage and the detection stage, and specifically amplifies the 465kHz intermediate-frequency signal. The main feature of the intermediate amplifier stage is: in order to achieve automatic gain control, the intermediate amplifier tube generally uses a remote cut-off tube. The intermediate-frequency transformer is the main component of the intermediate-frequency amplifier, and its quality directly affects the quality of the radio. In addition, a shielding cover is usually used to avoid the parasitic coupling between the intermediate-frequency loop and the eternal to improve the working stability. The shielding cover is made of good conductors such as aluminum and copper, and is attached to the case (ground potential), to isolate the entry of high frequency electromagnetic fields. 2.5 Audio Voltage AmplifierTo make the power amplifier stage output a certain amount of power, its anode current must have a certain amount of AC component, which requires that the grid audio signal voltage used to control the anode current must have a sufficiently large amplitude (voltage). The output voltage of the detector stage is usually very low. Therefore, between the power amplifier stage and the detector stage, there is always one or several audio voltage amplifier stages. Its function is to amplify the audio signal voltage to meet the input signal requirements.The audio voltage amplifier stage can be divided into a resistance-capacitance coupling amplifier and a transformer-coupled amplifier according to the different anode load forms. In the vacuum tube radio, the resistance-capacitance coupling amplifier is used mostly. The audio voltage amplifier stage and the detection stage usually share an electron tube. The input signal is generally controlled by a volume control potentiometer to adapt to different broadcasts and listening situations. Some radios have a tone control circuit connected to the output end of the audio voltage amplifier stage to flexibly change the frequency characteristics of the amplifier to make the sound pleasant. Due to the different forms of volume and tone control circuits. There are many types of audio voltage amplifier stages. 2.6 Audio Power Amplifier StageThe audio power amplifier stage is the last stage of the tube radio, and its function is to output a certain amount of audio power to make the speaker work normally. Someone may wonder, can a voltage amplifier be used instead of a power amplifier? This will not work. Although there is no difference between the basic circuits of a power amplifier and a voltage amplifier, due to the different tasks of the two, there are significant differences in the selection of electron tubes, the circuit components, and the nature of the load. It should be pointed out that the so-called power amplifier does not amplify the input power itself, but uses the control function of the electron tube grid voltage to convert the power supplied by the anode circuit DC power supply into the required audio power. From the viewpoint of energy conversion, the power amplifier is an energy converter. 2.7 RectifierThe rectifier stage of the tube radio is composed of three parts: power transformer, rectifier tube and filter. There are many forms of rectifier circuits, and the most common is a full-wave rectifier circuit.Ⅲ Classification3.1 AM RadioIn the era when tube radios were popular. AM radios were the mainstream products. Amplitude modulation is to modulate the high frequency carrier with audio signal. Its waveform is symmetrical up and down, and the amplitude is the same as the modulated signal. After detection, the highfrequency component is filtered out to obtain the audio signal. The frequency of the carrier signal (the frequency of the broadcasting station) is the carrier frequency.AM radios can receive medium wave and short wave broadcasts, and some can receive long wave broadcasts. Since the mid-band frequency interval has been unified to 9KHz, its highest audio frequency is only 4KHz. The sound quality is affected, and electromagnetic interference is relatively large.There are two main types of AM radios: direct-amplifier type and heterodyne type.1)Direct-amplified radio, also known as high-amplification radio, its typical circuit structure is such as: High-amplification→Detection→Low-amplification→Power amplifierA circuit that uses a grid detector circuit and a high-frequency positive feedback, called a regenerative radio, can achieve better sensitivity and selectivity. It can receive AM telegraph signals with high-amplifier and short-wave. Old Japanese-made radios mostly have this circuit. High-frequency signals of direct-amp radios are prone to self-excitation, and the high-end and low-end gains are uneven, and there is no high-amplifier regeneration. Widespread use of reed speakers with poor sound quality made it obsolete. Out of nostalgia, some enthusiasts are still keen on getting recycled radios. The regenerative circuit can not only be applied to direct-amplified radios, but also in simple heterodyne radios, because proper positive feedback can also be used to improve sensitivity.Simple regenerative radios often use reed speakers, which have high impedance (about 10K) and high sensitivity, and can be directly used as the load of the power amplifier tube. Its frequency range is only 350~3000Hz, so the sound quality is poor. Later regenerative radios used moving coil speakers, and the sound quality was better. However, due to the low impedance, an output transformer is needed, and its primary impedance must match the load impedance of the power amplifier tube. Moving coil speakers are divided into permanent magnet, constant magnet and excitation type. In addition, excitation horns are used in AC tube radios, and their excitation coils can also be used as filter chokes. 3.2 Heterodyne RadioThe heterodyne radio uses a frequency conversion circuit. The signal generated by the high-frequency oscillation circuit is different from the input signal at a certain frequency. After the two are combined, a fixed intermediate frequency signal (455~465KHz) is generated. The oscillation circuit needs independent vacuum tube as a part before the emergence of the dedicated frequency conversion tube. Some people call the oscillation frequency higher than the signal frequency by a heterodyne type.Heterodyne plus intermediate-frequency amplifier circuit is called superheterodyne. This type of circuit requires a single electron tube to oscillate. Later a multi-pole or composite tube dedicated to frequency conversion appears, such as 1A2, 6A2, 6SA7GT, 6U1, 6K8, etc. The superheterodyne type is the most common circuit of commercial radios. It has an automatic volume control circuit and can add tuning instructions. The superheterodyne radio can obtain more stable and higher gain due to the fixed frequency amplified. The disadvantage is that there is image frequency interference.The circuit structure of a typical superheterodyne radio is as follows:Frequency conversion→Middle amplifier→Detection→Low amplifier→Power amplifier 3.3 FM RadioFM is to use audio signal to modulate the frequency of high-frequency carrier. Its advantages are strong anti-interference ability, high signal-to-noise ratio, good frequency bandwidth and sound quality, and the audio frequency can reach 20~15000Hz. Because the FM audio work in the ultra-high frequency band, it can accommodate many radio stations. Because of its linear propagation characteristics, the same frequency can be reused at a distance of hundreds of kilometers, which can effectively solve the problem of congestion of medium and short-wave radio stations.Modern FM broadcasting is compatible with stereo and mono (in the early days of stereo broadcasting, two frequencies were used and received by two radios). Amateurs like to use a simple super-regenerative circuit to receive FM broadcasts. Because it works in a self-oscillation state, it is unstable and has strong super noise. 3.4 Service LifeThe general design life of the valves is 2000 hours (special tube has 5000~10000 hours), but in reality, many electron tubes break after using 2000 hours, for example, there is no sound. Its performance is not up to the design standard. When there is not any sound from the actual tube, it may have reached 3000 hours or more. The actual service life of the amplifier tube of the front stage is longer. To cite the simplest example: the old picture tube (picture tube is also a kind of vacuum tube) of a TV set, the actual life span usually excesses 10 years.If use it for 5 hours a day, you need to change the tube once a year to meet the actual design performance, and the replaced tube can also be used for other purposes.Ⅳ Audio Maintenance PrincipleHow to repair the failure of the vacuum tube radio depends on the difficulty of the failure. Under normal circumstances, the following steps are used.First point is to seek clues. What is the difference in the use of the radio before and after the failure, thinking about whether it has been repaired, or what components have been replaced, etc.Second point is the fault display. For faults such as flashover, smoking, burning, etc. Turn off the power immediately and find the factor to avoid damage to the audio. According to the displayed failure phenomenon, rotate audio button to compress the failure to clarify where the failure may occur, and to provide necessary information for analysis and judgment.Third point is analysis and judgment. Make comprehensive analysis and judgment based on the information obtained by self-examination inference and fault display. List all possible direct causes of the failure, and develop a scientific inspection procedure. This not only prevents blind movement, but also accumulates maintenance experience and improves efficiency.Fourth point is troubleshooting. Gradually narrow the scope of the fault, and accurately detect the fault point. Sometimes it refers to (such as electron tubes, capacitors, resistors, coils, transformers, etc.) connecting wires, welding points of a certain component. Determine where the failure occurred, which is important for fault repair. Tube radios are usually divided into high-frequency part, intermediate frequency part, audio part, power supply part and auxiliary circuit according to their working frequency and circuit function. The fault should be compressed to a specific circuit, such as DC circuit, AC circuit, or the anode circuit, the screen grid circuit, grid circuit, cathode circuit, etc. Since each loop in the electronic tube circuit affects each other, a failure of a component may affect several loops at the same time. Therefore, in the inspection process, comprehensive analysis should be performed, that is, each circuit should not be isolated.Fifth point is repairing practice. The repair test can be performed after determining the cause of the failure.Sixth point is repair inspection. In the actual maintenance process, if a failure point is detected, it must be immediately eliminated and repaired. After all the faults are investigated, the radio should be inspected as necessary to ensure the quality of the repair. The specific content of the inspection depends on the specific fault and the type and quantity of the instrument. The simplest one should also be auditioned and take general technical observations.Ⅴ Specific TroubleshootingA radio is composed of many components, and component damage is the main cause of radio failure. When the fault location is gradually reduced, the quality of the components must be checked to determine the fault. Therefore, inspecting components is one of the main methods to find the cause of failure.5.1 Tube InspectionThe common faults of electronic tubes are mostly filament broken, poor contact of the electric board, broken pole, pole touching, leakage, breakdown between the cathode and the filament, aging, air leakage, and micro-sound effects. When the radio is turned on, if the filament of a certain tube does not light up, the filament may be broken or a serious leak. The tube shell is cold when the filament is broken, and the tube shell is often warm when the gas leaks. Unplug the tube for further inspection. Use a multimeter to measure the filament resistance at the "R×1"gear. If the meter indicates infinite, the filament is disconnected. If the indicator of the needle is zero, it means that the tube is short-circuit. When the indicator of the needle indicates a constant value, it means that there is leakage between the electrodes. The smaller the resistance, the more serious the leakage. At this time, the top of the tube is usually milky white.The electron tube electrode is in poor contact, intermittently electrode touching (some are hot electrode touching), and the radio will sometimes have no sound or noise. This type of failure is characterized by being greatly affected by vibration. Therefore, you can tap the tube shell lightly. If there is no sound or noisy sound (sometimes there may be no sound or normal sound after tapping), it means that the tube electrode is in poor contact or intermittently electrode touching. When the fault is serious, the electrode is completely disconnected, which means a broken pole. The tube does not work, and the radio is silent.When the electron tube ages, the positive current and the amplification will decrease. If it was frequency conversion tube, the local oscillator will oscillate abnormally, resulting in the radio cannot receive the radio signal, low sound, or the high frequency end of the band can receive one or two radio stations, and the low-frequency end cannot receive the radio signal. The micro-phonic effect of the vacuum tube is often caused by improperly fixing the electrode, and it can be judged by tapping the tube case lightly. Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether the valve is normal or not. The easiest way is to replace it with the same type of electron tube. If the failure disappears, it means that there is a problem with the vacuum tube. 5.2 Resistor InspectionThere are two types of resistors used in radios: fixed resistors and variable resistors (potentiometers). They are not easy to damage. Possible damages include: resistor burnout, resistor body broken or lead broken, internal open circuit, or poor lead contact, etc. Some of failure can be observed. For example, the increase of fault current in a certain part of the circuit, which means the resistor is burned out. At this time, the paint layer on the outside of the resistor is burnt and hot. If the resistor is internally disconnected or the resistance value changes, it can be checked by measuring the ohm gear of a multimeter. If the meter indicates infinity, it means that the resistor is internally open; if the measurement result is too far from the nominal value (the error exceeds 20%), it means that the resistance has deteriorated.The lead of the resistor body is in poor contact and will be broken unbroken, which will cause noise or sound from the radio. This kind of failure is very susceptible to vibration and produces vibration noise. Therefore, you can gently shake the resistor body to see if the sound changes. It can also be measured with a multimeter. When measuring, shake the resistor body. If the pointer is unstable, it means that the contact is bad.The potentiometer that controls the volume of the radio usually has a power switch. The common faults of the potentiometer are: dirty carbon film, wear of the carbon film, poor contact of the sliding contact, loose lead-out piece, burnt of the carbon film, broken bakelite frame of the sliding contact, leakage, and damage to the power switch. When the potentiometer is normal, the radio can only hear a very light sound after power on. If the potentiometer is closed, the broadcast voice should not be heard. After turning off the power, there is no sound. If you cannot control the power on and off, it indicates that the power switch is partially damaged; if the noise is very loud, especially when the volume is adjusted, the loudspeaker has a large sound or interrupted sound, it means that the potentiometer is in poor contact. 5.3 Capacitor InspectionThere are two types of capacitors used in radios: fixed capacitors and variable (semi-variable) capacitors. The faults of fixed capacitors are usually leakage, breakdown, internal open circuit, poor internal contact, broken lead, or capacity failure, etc. The common faults of variable capacitors are bump, short circuit, leakage and so on. 5.4 Transformer InspectionCommon faults in transformers are coil mold breakage, a partial short circuit, leakage and other faults. A multimeter can also check out the coil mold. When high-frequency coils and intermediate-frequency transformers are locally short-circuited, it is not easy to measure. The substitution method can be employed to test or adjust the loop frequency to figure problems out.Ⅵ One Question Related to Vacuum Tube Radio and Going Further6.1 QuestionWhy do vacuum tubes sound better?6.2 AnswerTubes sound better because their distortion products are more musical. Those are the fundamental reasons why tubes simply sound better. Vacuum tubes are the more linear and require less feedback. Tubes are voltage amplifiers as opposed to transistors which are current amplification devices. Frequently Asked Questions about Vacuum Tube Radio1. What is a vacuum tube radio?VACUUM TUBE RADIO. Vacuum Tube Radio. By the late 1920s, vacuum tube radio equipment replaced the primitive spark-gap systems on most merchant ships. This new equipment could send and receive signals virtually worldwide, by using high frequency or "short-wave" bands. 2. How do radio vacuum tubes work?The basic working principle of a vacuum tube is a phenomenon called thermionic emission. It works like this: you heat up a metal, and the thermal energy knocks some electrons loose. ... When the cathode is heated, and a positive voltage is applied to the anode, electrons can flow from the cathode to the anode. 3. Why are vacuum tubes better for audio?Tube amplifiers sound better because of the euphonic distortions they add to the music, as well as plenty of other reasons I'll cover below. ... We use tubes simply because they make the music we create sound better: smoother, warmer and cleaner. Ditto for guitar amplifiers used in creating music. 4. How do you know if a vacuum tube is bad?When a vacuum tube develops an air leak (a small crack or bad seal by a pin for example) this getter color will change to pure white. If you see this you know with 100% certainty that the tube is bad. Third, look for a purple glow that is very focused around specific elements inside the tube.

Ⅰ IntroductionComputer memory is used to store programs and data. The main function of memory is to read and write. For random access memory RAM, their main functions are to read and write, and for read-only memory ROM, the main function is only to read. In general, the memory can be a card,  a floppy disk, etc., they can be active or fixed, which used to access data.This Video Introduce How Memory Store Data and How CPU Access Them.Program is the basis of computer operation, and data is the object of computer operation. Regardless of whether it is a program or data, it is expressed in binary form in the memory, and is collectively referred to as information. In a computer, the memory capacity represents by byte (abbreviated as B) as the basic unit, a byte is composed of 8 binary bits. In addition to bytes, the storage capacity is expressed in KB, MB, GB, and TB (which may be referred to as K, M, G, and T, respectively. For example, 128MB may be referred to as 128M). Among them, 1KB=1024B, 1MB=1024KB, 1GB=1024MB, 1TB=1024GB.CatalogⅠ IntroductionⅡ How to Store and Access Data?Ⅲ What Computer Memory Do?3.1 Explain Computer Memory3.2 Binary Decoder3.3 Chip Select & BusⅣ Example: 8086 MicroprocessorⅤ Technology Improvement5.1 What is Direct Memory Access (DMA)?5.2 DMA Transfer Modes5.3 DMA Transfer Process5.4 DMA Advantages and DisadvantagesⅥ Questions Related to Computer Memory WorksⅡ How to Store and Access Data?Before you know how the electronic memory works, it is necessary to get a general idea of the normal computer operation.Turn on the computer.First, the computer loads data from ROM and executes a power-on self-test (POST) to ensure that all major components are working properly. As part of this test, fast read/write operations check all memory addresses to ensure that there are no errors in the memory chip by memory controller. Read-write operation means writing data to a certain bit and then reading from it.Second, the computer loads the basic input/output system (BIOS) from the ROM. The BIOS provides the most basic information about storage devices, boot order, security, automatic identification functions, and other basic items.The computer loads the operating system from the hard drive into the system RAM. Normally, as long as the computer is turned on, the critical part of the operating system is kept in RAM. This allows the CPU to immediately access the operating system, thereby enhancing the performance and functionality of the entire system.Third, when an application is opened, it will be loaded into RAM. To save RAM space, only the basic part of the app programs are loaded, and then load other parts as needed. After the application is loaded, all files that have been opened for use in the RAM. When saving files and closing applications, files will be written to the designated storage device, and then the loading will be cleared from the RAM. It should be noted a fact that, if the changed files are not saved to the permanent storage device before being erased, they will be lost.In the above operation, every time the content is loaded or opened, it is put into RAM. This only means that it has been put into the temporary storage area of computer so that the CPU can more easily access the information. The CPU requests the required data from the RAM, processes it, and then writes the new data back to the RAM with successive cycles. In most computers, data processing reached millions of times between the CPU and RAM per second.Ⅲ What Computer Memory Do?3.1 Explain Computer MemoryThe memory is composed of a storage body, an address decoder, a read-write control circuit, an address bus, and a data bus.A semiconductor memory is like a small drawer, and there are eight small grids in it. Each small grid is used to store charge. The charge is transferred in or discharged through the wire connected to it. It is easy to understand, if you think of a wire as a water pipe, and the electric charge in the small grid is like the water. Each small drawer in the memory is a place to store data, which we call a cell.Figure 1. Computer MemoryThere are many cells in a memory, and the lines are connected in parallel. When the charge is applied, the charge will fill all the cells. When the charge is released, the charge in each cell will be discharged. This is of course not what we want. To avoid it, the memory structure should be changed slightly. There is a control line on each cell. Which unit you want to put the data, a signal is given to the control line of this unit. Be specific, this control line is like a switch, the charge can flow freely when switch on, and there is no signal on the control line of other cells to affect each other. So as long as you control the control lines of different cells, you can write different data to each unit. In the same way, if you want to get data from a unit, you only need to turn on the corresponding control line. 3.2 Binary DecoderFigure 2. DecoderFirst, how to control the control lines of each unit is not easy. For example, there are 655,36 units in a 27,512 memory chip, and each wire has to led out. This integrated circuit must have more than 60,000 pins. Obviously, this is clumsy. At this time, a way of decoding is made. Let’s briefly introduce it: a line can represent 2 states, 2 lines can represent 4 states, etc. And so on, 16 lines can be represented for 65536 states. 3.3 Chip Select & BusNext to the last question, let us focus on another problem. Where did the eight wires connect with each cell come from? In general, there are connected from the computer, and they also connect with other parts except for a memory chip. In this case, a problem arises. Since these eight lines are not dedicated between the memory and the computer, if you always connect a unit to these eight lines, this may cause confusion . For example, the value in a memory unit is 0FFH, in other memory cell is 00H, it is hard to figure out the high level or low level which these lines represent. So we have to separate them. The method is, when external wires are connected to the pins of the integrated circuit, they are not directly connected to each unit, and a group of switches is added between chip and computer. If we really want to write data to this memory or read data from the memory, then just turn on the switch. This group of switches is selected by three leads: read control end, write control end and chip select end.To write data to the chip, first is selecting chip, then send out a write signal, and the switch is turn on, therefore, the data is written to the chip. If you want to read, first is selecting chip, then send the read signal, and the switch is closed, the data is sent out. In addition, the read and write signals should be connected to another memory. Since the chip select terminals are different, there is no conflict when having read or write operation. Many people still have a question, will these two chips be selected at the same time? As long as it is a well-designed system, it will not happen, because it is controlled by mathematical calculation, not a manual control. If there is a situation where two chips are selected at the same time, it may be a circuit failure.It can be seen from the above that the eight lines used to transfer data are not dedicated, but are shared by many components, so we call them the data bus. The other 16 address lines are also connected together, called the address bus. Ⅳ Example: 8086 MicroprocessorThe CPU is connected to the storage unit and the I/O interface circuit through an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus. So how does the CPU access a certain address in the memory? Next, we will use the 8086 microprocessor architecture as an example, because its structure is simple and easy to introduce.Figure 3. 8086 MicroprocessorIf the CPU wants to read and write memory data, there must be wires to connect them together. In a computer, this kind of wire is called a bus. If you disassemble the computer case, it is easy to see that there is a collection of wires. These wires send signals at the same time, and each wire is either high or low level. The bus is divided into address bus, data bus and control bus according to different functions. Taking the above diagram as an example, the CPU needs to read the information at address 3, which is roughly divided into the following steps:The CPU outputs the physical address 3 to the address line.The control line needs to select the corresponding storage device, and then inform the device that data will be read from it.The storage device will send data 8 to the data line.Figure 4. 8086 CPUFrom here we see that there is a bus connection between the CPU and the storage device. In fact, there is a bus inside the CPU. It connects different components, such as registers, operators, and controllers. But in the computer, the bit number of different buses is not necessarily the same. For example, the internal bus of the 8086 is 16-bit, the address bus is 20-bit, and the data bus is 16-bit.Another question, since the 8086 CPU is a 16-bit structure, how can it output a 20-bit physical address? In fact, it is very simple. The address adder solves this way: segment address (16 bits) x 16 + offset address (16 bits) = physical address (20 bits), such as B800H x 16 + 1111H = B9000H. If you are not familiar with hexadecimal, then we can use decimal to describe this calculation. For example, home, school, and library are on a straight line. The distance between them is as shown in the following figure. Show the distance of the library: the library is 200m away from home, which is actually its physical address. But now there are some limits. We can only communicate with our friends through paper slips. Unfortunately, we can only write 2 digits on the papers, and the number of paper is not limited, so we agreed on the rule: paper 1x10+paper 2 = physical address, for example, write 11 on the paper 1 and 90 on the paper 2, which means that the school is 110m away from home and the library is 90m away from the school. The maximum distance that these two pieces of paper can represent is 99x10+99=1089.The above mentioned is the concept of offset address of the segment address. Let's imagine that if the internal bus of the 8086 CPU is 20-bits, it can directly represent the physical address. Therefore, the concept of segment address is not critical here. What's more, the CPU hardware design will change in the future, and it may be completely different.What we should know is how the CPU reads information from memory, and how does the CPU know whether the read information is ordinary data or a program that needs to be executed? We know that there are many registers in the CPU (that is used to store information), it specifies 2 registers, called CS, IP (CS is used to store the segment address, IP is used to store the offset address). They represent the physical address of the current machine code that needs to be executed. During the execution of the code, the CPU will maintain the values of CS and IP. For example, for each execution of the machine code, IP will increase the corresponding value to point to the next instruction. By analogy, we can use other registers to represent the physical address of the data. Therefore, the binary information in the memory has no difference to the CPU. Distinguishing the program and the data depends on the register. Ⅴ Technology ImprovementWhether it is a PC card or the high-speed read-write disk in the storage system, we can not do data operation without the support of a hardware DMA.Figure 5. 8237 DMA Controller5.1 What is Direct Memory Access (DMA)?DMA refers to the interface technology that the external device directly exchanges data with the system memory without going through the CPU. It is a high-speed data transfer method that allows direct reading and writing of data between external devices and memory, neither through the CPU nor CPU intervention.To read the data of the peripherals into the memory or transfer the data of the memory to the peripherals, it is generally done through CPU control, such as CPU program query or interrupt mode. Using interrupts for data transfer can greatly increase the CPU utilization. But it has shortcomings. For a high-speed I/O device and the case of batch exchange of data, the DMA method can be used to solve the efficiency and speed problems. DMA directly exchanges data between peripherals and memory, so the speed of data transfer depends on the working speed of the memory and peripherals.The data transfer operation is performed under a "DMA controller". In addition to the CPU doing a little processing at the beginning and end, the CPU can execute other tasks during the transfer. In this way, the CPU and I/O are in parallel operation. Therefore, the efficiency of the computer system is greatly improved.Figure 6. DMA ControllerWhen realizing DMA transmission, the bus is directly controlled by the DMA controller. Therefore, there is a problem of bus control transfer. That is, before the DMA transfer, the CPU should hand over the bus control to the DMA controller, and after the transfer is done, the DMA controller should immediately return the bus control to the CPU. 5.2 DMA Transfer ModesPeripherals can directly access the memory through the DMA controller, and at the same time, the CPU can continue to execute programs. So how does the DMA controller and CPU use memory in the same time? The following three modes are generally used:(1) Burst mode: Stop the CPU access.(2) Cycle stealing mode: DMA return the control of buses to CPU after transfer of one word at a time.(3) Transparent mode: DMA and CPU access memory alternately. Burst ModeWhen the peripheral device requests to transfer a batch of data, the DMA controller sends a stop signal to the CPU, requesting the CPU to give up to use the address bus, data bus, and related control bus. After the DMA controller obtains the bus control right, it starts the data transfer. After a batch of data has been transferred, the DMA controller informs the CPU that it can use the memory and returns the bus control to it. Figure (a) is a time chart of this transmission method. Obviously, in this DMA transfer process, the CPU is basically in a non-working state or stands by.Advantage: It is suitable for group transmission of equipment requiring high data transmission rate.Disadvantages: In the internal access stage of the DMA controller, the memory performance is not fully utilized, that is to say, a considerable part of the memory work cycle is idle. This is because the interval between two data transmitted by a peripheral device is generally always greater than the memory storage period, even for high-speed I/O devices. For example, a floppy disk requires about 32us to read an 8-bit binary number, and the storage period of semiconductor memory is less than 0.5us, so many idle storage periods cannot be used by the CPU. Cycle Stealing ModeWhen the I/O device has no DMA request, the CPU accesses the memory as required by the program. Once the I/O device executes a DMA request, one or several memory cycles will be embezzled.The time sharing of this transmission mode is as follows:　1) At this time, the CPU does not need to access RAM, for example, the CPU is executing a multiplication instruction. Due to the long execution time of this instruction, there is no conflict between the I/O access and the CPU access, that is, the I/O device stealing one or two memory cycles has no effect on the CPU execution.2) When the I/O device accesses, so does the CPU, which creates an access violation. In this case, the I/O device takes first, because it has an access time requirement, the previous I /O data must be accessed before the next request arrives. Obviously, the I/O device steals one or two memory cycles, which means that the CPU has delayed the execution of the instruction. More specifically, inserting a DMA request during the CPU's execution of the in-access instruction embezzles one or two memory cycles. Compared with the method of stopping CPU access, cycle stealing not only achieves I/O transfer, but also utilizes the efficiency of memory and CPU greatly. It is a win-win  method. However, I/O device diversion has the process of applying for bus control, establishing line control, and returning bus control. Transferring a word takes one cycle for RAM, but it is generally 2-5 memory cycles for DMA controllers (depending on the delay of the logic line). Therefore, the method is suitable for the case where the read/write cycle of the I/O device is greater than the RAM storage cycle. Transparent ModeIf the CPU's work cycle is much longer than the memory access cycle, this method can make the highest efficiency of CPU and DMA access at the same time. Assuming that the CPU work cycle is 1.2μs and the memory access cycle is less than 0.6μs, then a CPU cycle can be divided into two sub-cycles, C1 and C2, where C1 is for DMA controller access and C2 is for CPU access.The time sharing of this transmission method is as follows: The following figure is the detailed time of DMA and CPU alternate accesses. C1 is dedicated to the DMA controller and C2 is dedicated to the CPU. This method does not require the bus usage right. It is allocated through C1 and C2. The CPU and the DMA controller each have their own control registers such as internal address registers, data registers, and read/write signals. In the C1 cycle, if the DMA controller has an access request, it can send signals such as address and data to the bus. In the C2 cycle, if the CPU has an access request, it also do the same process. In fact, for the bus, this is a multiplexer controlled by C1 and C2. This transfer of bus control power takes almost no time, so the efficiency of DMA transfer is very high.It is like transparent glass to the CPU, without any influence. Working in a transparent DMA mode, the CPU neither stops the main program running nor enters the stand-by state. It is an efficient working method, and the corresponding hardware logic is more complicated. 5.3 DMA Transfer ProcessFigure 7. DMA Working ProcessRequestThe CPU initializes the DMA controller and gives an operation command to the I/O interface, then the I/O interface issues a DMA request. ResponseThe DMA controller determines the priority and shielding of the DMA request, and makes a bus request to the bus adjudication logic. When the CPU executes the current bus cycle, the bus control can be released. At this time, the bus arbitration logic outputs a bus response, indicating that the DMA has responded, and notifies the I/O interface to take the DMA transfer through controller. TransferAfter the DMA controller obtains the bus control right, the CPU immediately stops s or only performs internal operations. The DMA controller outputs read and write commands to control the RAM and I/O interface directly. Under the control of the DMA controller, the data is directly transferred between the memory and the external device. In addition, it is necessary to provide the starting position and length of the data to be transferred. Rising an InterruptWhen the specified batch of data transfer is finished, the DMA controller releases the bus control right and sends an end signal to the I/O interface. When the I/O interface receives it, on the one hand, it stops the I/O device, on the other hand, it makes an interrupt request to the CPU. The CPU is free from the state of non-intervention, and performs a section to check the correctness of the DMA transfer operation code. Finally, the CPU will show the transfer result and carry out the original program.It can be seen that the DMA transfer method does not require the CPU to directly control the transfer, nor does it have the process of retaining and restoring the scene when having the interrupt process. Through the hardware, a direct path for data transfer is opened for the RAM and I/O devices, that is DMA. 5.4 DMA Advantages and DisadvantagesA:DMA reduces the clock cycle requires to read or write a patch of data, which improve the system operation efficiency.D:As a hardware device, running DMA control will increase cost.DMA can cause cache coherence problem. Ⅵ Questions Related to Computer Memory Works1. What is the purpose of computer memory?Computer random access memory (RAM) is one of the most important components in determining your system's performance. RAM gives applications a place to store and access data on a short-term basis. It stores the information your computer is actively using so that it can be accessed quickly. 2. What is the role of memory in a computer system?Computer memory or random access memory (RAM) is your system's short-term data storage; it stores the information your computer is actively using so that it can be accessed quickly. The more programs your system is running, the more memory you'll need. 3. Where is 8086 microprocessor used for?8086 Microprocessor is an enhanced version of 8085Microprocessor that was designed by Intel in 1976. It is a 16-bit Microprocessor having 20 address lines and16 data lines that provides up to 1MB storage. It consists of powerful instruction set, which provides operations like multiplication and division easily. 4. How does direct memory access DMA work?With DMA, the CPU first initiates the transfer, then it does other operations while the transfer is in progress, and it finally receives an interrupt from the DMA controller (DMAC) when the operation is done. ... DMA can also be used for "memory to memory" copying or moving of data within memory. 5. Why is DMA faster than CPU?The direct memory access or DMA mode of data transfer is faster amongst all the mode of data transfer . ... The device request the cpu through a DMA controller to hold its data ,address and control bus so that the device may transfer data directly to or from memory.

I OverviewValve regulated lead acid battery (VRLA battery) is generally divided into gel battery and AGM battery. Figure 1. Classification of VRLA BatteryGel battery is a valve regulated lead acid battery made by gel technology which not only refers to whether the battery contains gel electrolyte, but also includes the battery design ideas, structural characteristics, manufacturing technology and other technical measures to ensure the corresponding performance of the battery.Figure 2. Gel BatterySimilarly, for AGM battery, it also refers to valve regulated lead acid batteries manufactured by AGM technology. To hold the sulfuric acid in the battery with AGM separator is only one of the technical features of AGM battery.Figure 3. AGM BatteryBecause the two technologies are completely different, there is a great difference in performance between gel battery and AGM battery. In order to better understand the performance difference between gel battery and AGM battery, this article deeply discusses their differences in terms of battery design.Sealed Lead Acid Battery Recovery(The man in the vedio shows how to clean, open, refill, desulfate and test a totally dead sealed lead acid battery.)CatalogI OverviewII AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Electrolyte Fixation TechnologyIII AGM vs. Gel Batteries: ElectrolyteIV AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Polar Group4.1 AGM Battery has Excellent LargeCurrent Discharge Performance4.2 Make Full Use of Active Substances4.3 Conducive to the Transmission of Oxygen4.4 Prevent the Battery from Entering the Life Decline Period RrematurelyV AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Oxygen CycleVI AGM vs. Gel Batteries: CostVII ConclusionVIII AGM vs.Gel Batteries QuizII AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Electrolyte Fixation TechnologyBecause both gel battery and AGM battery adopt cathodic absorption maintenance-free technology based on internal oxygen cycle, there is no essential difference in maintenance-free technology, only in the way of fixing electrolyte.For the AGM battery, the AGM manufacturing technology is adopted, and the electrolyte in the battery, which is dilute sulfuric acid, can be held in the glass separator. The electrolyte is fixed by making use of the porosity of the glass separator, which has a strong adsorption, allowing the electrolyte to become immobilized. Its principle is similar to the principle of water absorbing sponge.Figure 4. Water Absorbing SpongeBecause dilute sulfuric acid is made of pure sulfuric acid and water, the density of pure sulfuric acid is 1.84g/cm3, and the density of pure water is 1.0g/cm3. In the backup battery, the storage battery is kept stationary for a long time. Due to the effect of gravity, the dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte will stratify, that is, the sulfuric acid density at the bottom is high, while the sulfuric acid density at the top is low. In high-type batteries, this delamination phenomenon is particularly evident. Therefore, in conventional batteries, the height of the battery generally does not exceed 400 mm.Figure 5. Delamination of ElectrolyteThe layering of the electrolyte will make the active material on the top of the electrode plate unable to release the capacity it should have because of insufficient acid, and it will be overcharged during charging. And the bottom will be difficult to charge because the sulfuric acid concentration is too high. At the same time, due to the delamination of the acid, concentration polarization back-EMF will also be generated in the upper and lower parts of the electrode plate, which ultimately reduces the operating voltage and capacity of the battery. Furthermore, excessively high sulfuric acid at the bottom will also accelerate the corrosion of the bottom grid and the sulfation of the plates, thereby shortening the battery life.For gel battery, it adopts gel manufacturing technology, and the electrolyte in the battery is fixed in the silicon gel. The fixation of the electrolyte is due to the silicone space network structure formed by the polymerization of gel gel particles to effectively fix the sulfuric acid electrolyte. The principle is similar to the use of jelly to fix the sulfuric acid electrolyte. In the space network, the silica gel is the skeleton supporting the entire network, and the sulfate ion can move freely at a certain level, which can ensure the smooth progress of the battery chemical reaction, that is, the smooth charge and discharge of the battery.Figure 6. Gel Battery ElectrolyteBecause the spatial network structure of silica gel is rich in a large number of silicon oxidation bonds, it can form hydrogen bonds with hydrogen in the sulfuric acid molecule. Due to this weak chemical action, the silica gel easily adsorbs and releases sulfuric acid molecules. Even if the electrolyte is not moved for a long time, due to the existence of this effect, it can basically offset the effect of gravity, so that the diluted sulfuric acid electrolyte is evenly distributed up and down, and it is not easy to cause delamination. Furthermore, the average pore size of the gel itself is about 100 times smaller than the average pore size of the AGM separator, and the comparative area of the gel itself is much larger than the specific surface area of the AGM separator. The small pores or micropores can be better keep sulfuric acid electrolyte. In the gel battery, since the electrolyte is not layered, the active materials on the upper and lower parts of the inner electrode plate of the battery can be fully utilized, so the battery has a long life span and can also be manufactured as a high-type battery.Figure 7. NO Delamination of ElectrolyteIII AGM vs. Gel Batteries: ElectrolyteThe AGM battery uses an AGM separator to fix the sulfuric acid electrolyte. In order to make the oxygen generated in the positive electrode in the later stage of charging easy to pass through the separator to the negative electrode and be absorbed by the negative electrode, a lean liquid design must be adopted to ensure the smooth progress of the internal oxygen cycle. The so-called lean electrolyte design takes the sponge's liquid absorption as an example. Under normal conditions, a sponge can be 100g of water. The actual design is only to allow the sponge to absorb 80~90g of water. This design is a lean electrolyte design. Therefore, the amount of sulfuric acid electrolyte in the AGM battery is relatively small. In lead-acid batteries, the sulfuric acid electrolyte is involved in the electrochemical reaction of the battery. In order to ensure the discharge performance of the battery (the amount of sulfuric acid needs to be sufficient), it can only be achieved by increasing the sulfuric acid concentration. Therefore, AGM batteries generally use higher density/concentration sulfuric acid.Due to the small amount of electrolyte in the AGM battery, the high concentration of sulfuric acid has a series of adverse effects on the battery itself. Since the amount of electrolyte in the AGM battery is relatively small and the heat capacity of the battery is also small, the AGM battery is sensitive to temperature. For batteries with the same capacity that can be fully charged, if the same amount of electricity is charged, the temperature rise of the AGM battery is significantly greater than that of the gel battery.For AGM batteries, due to the use of higher concentration of sulfuric acid, the grid corrosion is faster, and it is easier to produce inert lead sulfate, which makes the battery's charge acceptance worse, and the battery is more difficult to charge. That is, AGM batteries are more prone to early capacity decay. With the extension of battery life, the AGM battery continuously loses water due to overcharging, and the sulfuric acid concentration in the battery rises slowly, which is more serious. In batteries, the sulfuric acid saturation of the AGM separator is usually 95% to 85%. Compared with a fully saturated separator, when the saturation is 85%, the effective internal resistance of the battery increases by 90%. When the sulfuric acid saturation of the separator in the battery is less than 85%, the battery life will quickly end due to excessive tail current, lack of acid and excessive internal resistance. Therefore, for AGM batteries, the battery loses 10% of its water, and the life of the battery is reduced by more than 50%.Figure 8. Influence of AGM Battery Lean Liquid Design on Battery PerformanceThe development of the gel battery itself is based on the improvement of the flooded battery. Because the sulfuric acid electrolyte is fixed by silicon gel, the gas transmission inside the gel battery is completed through the channel formed by the cracks generated by the gel cracking. The amount of electrolyte does not affect the gas transmission channel. Therefore, there is no strict limit on the amount of electrolyte, and the liquid-rich design is usually adopted to ensure that the battery has better performance. Therefore, the amount of electrolyte in the gel battery is relatively large. For large-density batteries, the amount of rich liquid is about 20%, and for medium-density batteries, the amount of rich liquid is about 15%. Gel batteries generally use a lower concentration of acid than AGM batteries. At a lower acid density, the corrosion rate of the grid is lower, and the battery's charge acceptance is also significantly improved, thereby extending the battery's life span. Secondly, the gel battery has more electrolyte. The more electrolyte, the greater the heat capacity of the battery, so the gel battery is not very sensitive to temperature. The high temperature has relatively little effect on the performance and life span of the gel battery. In addition, due to the high voltage or maintenance operations such as equalizing or overcharging the battery during long-term use, the battery may lose water. The gel battery has more electrolyte and a small amount of water loss, which has little effect on the life of the battery. Therefore, the life span is longer and the battery stability is better.How a lead-acid battery works(The man in this vedio explains the essential principles of a lead-acid battery. )IV AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Polar Group In AGM batteries, the assembly compression ratio of the pole group has a very important impact on the battery performance and battery life.Appropriately increasing the pole group assembly pressure of the battery has the following benefits:4.1 AGM Battery has Excellent LargeCurrent Discharge PerformanceThe AGM battery adopts a tight assembly structure, so that the distance between the positive and negative plates is smaller, and the distance of ion conduction in the battery is shorter. Thereby reducing the internal resistance of the battery. Furthermore, with the tight assembly structure, the electrode plate and the separator maintain good contact, and the contact resistance between the separator and the electrode plate is also reduced. These make AGM batteries more conducive to large current discharge.4.2 Make Full Use of Active SubstancesBecause the AGM separator not only plays the role of isolating the positive and negative plates, but also plays the role of storing and maintaining the electrolyte. Adopting a tight assembly structure, the polar plate is close to the AGM separator, which allows the electrolyte to impregnate the entire polar plate, so that the active material is fully utilized, and the use capacity of the battery is increased.4.3 Conducive to the Transmission of OxygenWith a tight assembly structure, the polar plate is in close contact with the AGM separator, which is conducive to the smooth diffusion of oxygen through the separator to the negative electrode. Because the polar plate is under a large pressure, the AGM separator is compressed, and the micropores in the AGM separator perpendicular to the direction of the separator become larger, making oxygen easily penetrate the separator from the positive electrode to the negative electrode.On the other hand, because the AGM separator is compressed, the pores parallel to the direction of the separator plate become smaller, thereby suppressing the escape of oxygen generated in the positive electrode along the plane direction of the separator.4.4 Prevent the Battery from Entering the Life Decline Period RrematurelyTo prevent the battery from entering the life decline period prematurely, AGM separator has a strong liquid absorption performance and a high porosity. It is a separator made of hydrophilic glass fibers and does not contain a binder. The separator itself has poor strength. The material of the AGM separator is shown in Figure 9 below.Figure 9. Glass Fibers Put the AGM separator in boiling water for 1 hour, the AGM separator may disintegrate into pure glass fiber. If the AGM battery is loosely assembled, the escape of oxygen generated at the end of the battery charge may change the microstructure of the AGM separator, making the battery prone to early capacity decay. The tight assembly structure can effectively suppress the softening and shedding of the positive electrode active material, thereby greatly extending the life span of the AGM battery. Therefore, the AGM battery must adopt a tight assembly design. This structure not only makes the oxygen circulation in the battery more smoothly, but also ensures that the AGM battery has excellent large current discharge performance and better life span.In a gel battery, the viscosity of the gel electrolyte is much greater than that of dilute sulfuric acid, so if the assembly is too tight, it is not conducive to the gel electrolyte entering the pole group. Therefore, the assembly of the pole group is relatively loose. The separator used is usually a microporous plastic separator containing ribs to facilitate the gel electrolyte to enter the pole group and the inside of the separator. The separator of the gel battery mainly serves to isolate the positive and negative plates. The gel battery itself is developed on the basis of the rich liquid battery, and basically maintains the characteristics of the original rich liquid battery, and there is no strict requirement for the assembly pressure of the battery pole group. In the gel battery, due to the loose requirements for the assembly of the pole group, the distance between the positive and negative plates is relatively large, and the ion conduction distance in the battery is long, so the internal resistance of the gel battery is usually large, which is more suitable for medium current and small. When the current is discharged, the large current performance of the battery is relatively poor. V AGM vs. Gel Batteries: Oxygen Cycle In VRLA batteries, oxygen is transferred from the positive electrode to the negative electrode, where it is compounded. According to the principle of oxygen circulation, the recombination of oxygen at the negative electrode mainly occurs at this three-phase interface.There are two ways of oxygen transmission: one is vertical transmission, that is, the oxygen generated by the positive electrode first moves to the periphery of the pole group, and then reaches the negative electrode plate. The second is horizontal transmission, that is, the oxygen generated by the positive plate directly penetrates the separator to reach the negative electrode.In VRLA batteries, the gas channel that generates oxygen circulation not only occurs in the separator between the positive and negative plates, but also occurs in the outer space of the pole group. In AGM sealed batteries, the gas generated from the positive electrode needs to grow from small bubbles to larger bubbles at the end of charging or during the float charging process. As the bubbles continue to grow, they expand into the AGM separator, and the sulfuric acid electrolyte in the large pores in the separator is discharged to form a gas channel, and oxygen is transferred from the positive electrode to the negative electrode.Figure 10. VRLA BatteryTherefore, only when the oxygen pressure generated by the positive electrode reaches a certain level, a number of oxygen channels will be formed in the AGM separator. After the gas is transferred to the negative electrode, it is absorbed by the negative electrode, and the discharged sulfuric acid liquid will reoccupy the gas channel in the AGM separator until the bubbles generated on the surface of the positive electrode grow again to form a gas channel. Therefore, in the AGM battery, the gas passage from the positive electrode through the separator to the negative electrode may be unstable or discontinuous.In the AGM battery, due to the fact that after the sulfuric acid electrolyte is added to the separator, the assembly pressure is greatly reduced, and the surface of the electrode plate and the separator is uneven, so that there is always a relatively large gap between the electrode plate and the separator. The direct transmission of oxygen from the positive electrode to the negative electrode is difficult, so in AGM batteries, a considerable amount of oxygen is transferred vertically. Since the pore size of the polar plate is smaller than that of the AGM separator, more electrolyte is retained in the polar plate. The lead and negative electrodes on the side plates of the battery pole group are not covered with colloids, etc., and it is easy to form a three-phase interface of gas, liquid, and solid. In the AGM battery, the reaction between lead and anode and oxygen not only occurs on the surface between the positive and negative plates, but a considerable amount of oxygen circulation also occurs on the negative plates outside the pole group. The rapid recombination of oxygen on the side panel of the pole group also makes the total pressure of the gas chamber inside the battery lower than that of the gel battery. It is reported that stiffening strips on the inner wall of the battery tank can greatly increase the efficiency of oxygen circulation.Figure 11. AGM BatteryIn the study of the gel battery, it was found that in the gel battery, with the extension of the use time and the formation of micro-cracks in the colloid, the total gas chamber pressure in the gel battery is higher than the total gas chamber pressure of the AGM battery at equilibrium, vertical oxygen transmission in the direction is suppressed. In the gel battery, with the extension of use time, the silicone gel will dry crack, forming fine cracks, thereby forming a channel for oxygen to be transferred from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. In a gel battery in normal operation, since both the positive and negative plates are covered with gel, the oxygen compound reaction rate on the negative plate on the side of the pole group is extremely low. The compound reaction of oxygen on the negative electrode mainly occurs on the negative electrode plate corresponding to the positive electrode plate. That is, horizontal transmission is mainly used. Furthermore, in the gel battery, the electrolyte saturation has an important influence on the oxygen transmission mode. When the saturation is higher than 91.5%, the transmission mode is mainly vertical transmission; when the saturation is lower than 91.5%, mainly horizontal transmission. In the oxygen cycle of the gel battery, the transmission of oxygen in the vertical direction is slower than in the AGM battery; Compared with the AGM battery, the gel battery is more conducive to the horizontal transmission of oxygen. In the gel battery, since it is a gas channel formed by dry cracking of the gel, the gas transmission channel is basically stable. VI AGM vs. Gel Batteries: CostThe cost of gel batteries is higher than that of AGM batteries in terms of equipment, separators, and materials:First, the cost of equippment. In the production of gel batteries, not only the equipment for glue distribution but also the special equipment for glue filling is needed. Due to the use of gel electrolyte, the gelation phenomenon may occur due to the high viscosity of the gel electrolyte, so the production process control requirements are completely different from the production process of the AGM battery, the process is more complicated, and the technology is difficult to master.Second, the cost of separators. The gel battery uses a microporous plastic separator, which requires high porosity, good strength, and thin thickness. The cost of a high-quality microporous separator is relatively high. For AGM batteries, the separator is made of ultra-fine glass fiber, and the manufacturing process is relatively simple and the cost is low.Third, the cost of materials. The design margin of the electrolyte of the gel battery is generally larger. Not only does it increase the silicone gel material, it also requires more sulfuric acid electrolyte. The total weight of sulfuric acid electrolyte and silica gel is heavier and the material cost is higher.Therefore, the overall cost of the gel battery is high. As for AGM battery, the production process is relatively simple, the process is better controlled, and the battery is lighter, so the cost is lower than gel battery.Figure 12. AGM vs. Gel Batteries: CostVII ConclusionFrom the foregoing comparative analysis, it can be seen that AGM batteries and gel batteries are two types of batteries manufactured using different design ideas.For AGM batteries, AGM separators are used to fix the electrolyte, which is generally designed with a lean electrolyte and a tight assembly structure, which makes the battery lighter and has better large current discharge performance. Due to the low amount of acid, high-density sulfuric acid is required. The life span of AGM batteries is relatively short, and the manufacturing cost is relatively low.For the gel battery, it adopts a rich-liquid design, the amount of sulfuric acid electrolyte used is large, the density of sulfuric acid is relatively rare, the battery performance is more stable, the life span is longer, and the manufacturing cost is higher. VIII AGM vs.Gel Batteries QuizFigure 13. Quiz1. What is a gel battery?A gel battery (often referred to as a gel cell battery) is a lead-acid battery that is valve regulated. When the electrolyte is mixed with sulphuric acid and silica, it becomes a relatively stationary gel substance. 2. What is better AGM or gel battery?AGM batteries are comparably cheaper than Gel batteries, but they present a longer life span and offer bigger bursts of amps when needed. These batteries work best in high-power usage, such as sports vehicles. 3. What are the advantages of a gel battery?These types of batteries will operate effectively between an incredible -40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, their gel make-up makes them better able to withstand corrosion, shock, and vibration. Slower discharging for a longer lifespan. 4. Is AGM a gel battery?AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) and gel batteries are both examples of VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead-Acid) batteries. ... In common parlance, the term gel battery is used to indicate both AGM and Gel batteries. AGM batteries may also be called “membrane”, “starved electrolyte” or “dry” batteries. 5. Is an AGM battery worth the extra money?Definitely worth the price. The biggest perk is they hold their charge. You can charge it in the fall, come spring it's still 100% charged. I know mine has lasted quite a bit longer than my old lead batteries…that said, I never spent the money on lead then I now do on AGMS.