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Q&A

General Q&A about the design and function of electronic systems, electric power systems and infrastructure, their theory, and tools specific to those fields. Read these guidelines before posting.

Filters (None)
69%
+7 −2
Why is the resistance of water so high and still so dangerous?

Measuring the resistance of water from my tap I got 500kOhm. Adding considerable amount of salt brought it down to 20kOhm: The question I have is why water is such a danger for short circuits if t...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Kranulis‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
What to check for when buying an electronic component or module?

How can I acquire electronic parts/items/modules and ensure that there is minimal risk of them being unsuitable for my project or design?

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by manassehkatz‭

66%
+2 −0
Relationship between bode plot and pole zero diagram

What is the relationship between the pole zero diagram and bode plot? Case example: a 2nd order RLC low pass filter: - $$\dfrac{V_{OUT}}{V_{IN}} = \dfrac{\frac{1}{j\omega C}}{R+j\omega L +\frac{1}...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  edited 4y ago by ArtOfCode‭

66%
+2 −0
How do I design a boost converter? What are the basics I should know?

I need to design a simple boost converter like this: - I want to control duty cycle from another circuit such as an MCU but, I'm unsure how to proceed. My requirements are: - Input voltage 12 vol...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Andy aka‭

66%
+2 −0
Low loss impedance matching without a transformer

I have a signal at 10 MHz produced from a 50 Ω source. How can I match that to a 300 Ω load with low losses without using an RF transformer (space constraints)? Are there any circuits and formulas ...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Andy aka‭

66%
+2 −0
How to avoid shoot-through in MOSFET bridge drivers

I'm using a variable duty cycle square-wave oscillator to drive a half-bridge MOSFET pair like this. Upper MOSFET is P-channel type, lower MOSFET is N-channel type: - And, I think I'm getting shoo...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Andy aka‭

66%
+2 −0
Switch-off time of relay with flyback diode

When switching a relay there should be a flyback diode. It could be just a diode or diode with resistor in series. I understand there is a difference in the speed of relay switch-off. But what is t...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Chupacabras‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Op-amp output error voltage

I've built a non-inverting op-amp amplifier with a gain of 101 using this circuit: - My input is 10 mV DC and I expected to measure 1.01 volts at the output but I measure 0.81 volts. What has happ...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Andy aka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Andy aka‭

66%
+2 −0
How do I calculate and manipulate the inductance and capacitance of outputs to a connector on a PCB?

I am designing a PCB that has to have class 1 div 1 associated apparatus (only the outputs to the sensor) certification. Essentially, I am using a boost converter to convert the voltage from a lith...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Hawk2020‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Complementary transistor pairs - what is the point ?

I understand that some applications require NPN-PNP pairs with identical electrical characteristics. But I would like to understand why.

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by coquelicot‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Why RC toys still operate in 27Mhz band?

Recently I had opened an remote control (RC) toy to see its circuit and found that it operates on 27 Mhz. Not just that toy even many toys operate in that 27 and 49 Mhz band. These days we find eve...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by aditya98‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
How come the registers in a micro are application specific?

This is an energy meter reference design guide I found in microchip's website. In a microcontroller how come the registers are specific to the project?Please explain.

3 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by aditya98‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by manassehkatz‭

66%
+2 −0
Design rules for opamp bootstrapping

Here is the bootstrapping technique for opamps, as exposed in the Art of Electronics:. This technique is supposed to increase considerably the input impedance of the opamp for an AC input source (...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by coquelicot‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Filter Impedance Consideration

In a lot of textbooks, filters seem to be designed around a matching source and load impedance. However, If I have a filter stage between an antenna and an LNA, wouldn't I want the load impedance(i...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by jm567‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Emitter Bypass Capacitor in a CE Amplifier

How exactly is the emitter capacitor C3 helping to increase the voltage gain in the common emitter amplifier below? Is it because for AC signals the emitter looks like a short to ground and that es...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by jm567‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Circuit fantasist‭

66%
+2 −0
De-bouncing input signals?

I've heard that input signals to digital circuits should be "de-bounced", at least sometimes. What is de-bouncing? Why is it needed? When is it needed? What is bouncing around in the first place?

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Circuit fantasist‭

66%
+2 −0
Understanding the s11 and s21 coefficients of a microstrip line with resistor to ground

I thought I understood the theory of scattering parameters, smith charts etc. until I tried a practical example. The following stupid example is supposed to be a microstrip line shunted by two 100...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by coquelicot‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Bit-rate vs Baud-rate

I am really confused how the terms bit-rate are baud-rate are used in electronics. I never bothered thinking about baud-rate being different than bit-rate before. But recently, one of my teachers t...

3 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Giga-Byte‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Canina‭

66%
+2 −0
Digital multimeter display count range

The display counts range is one of the digital multimeter characteristics. We know that a DMM is based on an analog/digital converter, and we know too that each ADC has a certain resolution in bit...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Pacifist‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Transformer - Vsec or Current rating parameter

I am looking at the datasheet of the 7508170315(link) transformer and something seems strange to me. If I connect this to a 12V supply and expose it to 10us pulse: 12V*10us/475uH = 252mA which ...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by 2kind‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Driving ADC with opamp with large rails

In the image below is an opamp buffer with +/- 15v rails connected to a 3.3v ADC. The input to the opamp is limited to 0-3v. There is no protection circuitry for the ADC. Is the risk of the opam...

3 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by z3333‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by coquelicot‭

66%
+2 −0
CAN Bus - Internal Oscillator

Every time I needed CAN, I had just put external crystal and didn't think about it after that. It worked fine. I am wondering however whether the precisions of MCU internal oscillator is sufficien...

3 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by 2kind‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Lundin‭

66%
+2 −0
Confused about the amplitude and shape of output voltage pulse

In the circuit below, I am applying a $3.3Vpp$, $63kHz$, 50% Duty Cycle, PWM input signal at the gate of the mosfet and I am expecting to see a similar waveform with different amplitude at the LED...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Georgian‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by coquelicot‭

66%
+2 −0
PCT2075 temperature sensor accuracy

I read datasheet for PCT2075 temperature sensor and there are some contradicting data about accuracy for me. Page 21: accuracy ±1°C (Tamb = -25°C to +100°C) accuracy ±2°C (Tamb = -55°C to +125°C...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Chupacabras‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
recommendation for chip programming connection (pogo?)

Background: I have several microcontroller based projects with custom PCB that have been in very-low-volume production, but the quantities are starting to go up. (batch sizes now ~100 and threateni...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Pete W‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
BLDC motor - initial rotor position

Sensorless BLDC motor controller are becoming more and more popular, especially with rising of the drone industry. Being able to detect where the rotor is at 0rpm or no load seems intuitive if we ...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by 2kind‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by KalleMP‭

66%
+2 −0
Is there a particular type of lead-free solder that does not degrade soldering tips?

I have had my soldering iron tips degrading at ridiculous rates. Granted, they are not very expensive, but sometimes it takes less than 8 hours of soldering for them to degrade to the point where t...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Kranulis‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Pete W‭

66%
+2 −0
Filter RF Harmonics With Additional PI Network

I have a 900MHz radio with a reference design matching network. The radio feeds to a PCB antenna (PCB antenna hasn't been verified with a VNA, and may not be a great match; this is a project to n...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by leroy105‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by leroy105‭

RF
66%
+2 −0
Is there a tool or trick for bending TO220 leads

Small-shop question here. Is there a convenient tool for making the bend shown below, other than a pair of pliers that happens to be just the right size, and is it worth it for qty low 100's? ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Pete W‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Lundin‭

66%
+2 −0
What is the purpose of paralleling capacitors on the input/output of a power converter?

In the design of a power converter, picking the appropriate capacitors for the input and output of the converter is quite important. It is relatively easy to calculate the necessary values for a gi...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Mu3‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Contactor control - Higher voltage PWM

I have a battery pack that consists of 18650 battery cells(14 cells in series max.). Hence, the voltage of the battery pack will be between 35V and 60V(to be on the safe side) I am designing a BMS...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by 2kind‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
MOSFET differential to single ended converter intuition

How does the differential to single ended converter work? In order for the circuit to work, Q1 and Q3 must be in the saturation region and depending on the voltage inputs, one of Q2 and Q4 will be...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 2y ago by Peter Mortensen‭

66%
+2 −0
Diodes used in mixers

Suppose we have this circuit which is supposed to be an unbalanced frequency mixer. But how does the diode generate a signal with new frequencies at the output?

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Input offset voltage/bias current noise contribution in operational amplifiers

In noise analysis of operational amplifiers, the following is considered: Noise generated by the external components (resistors in feedback network etc.) Noise generated by the operational ampl...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Mu3‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+4 −1
Motor Controller - What might be the purpose of these resistors?

I was looking at the video of the Tesla Model 3 motor controller(400VDC, 500A) disassembly and noticed a resistor network as in the picture below. They are 2k resistors(SMD code 202). See the pic...

4 answers  ·  posted 2y ago by 2kind‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by DSI‭

66%
+2 −0
$Q$ and $\overline{Q}$ in bistable multivibrator

In this bistable multivibrator which is $Q$ and which is $\overline{Q}$?

1 answer  ·  posted 2y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Diode like a frequency mixer

Based on this paper on Wiki a diode can be described as a frequency mixer due to the exponential relationship between current and voltage.What I don't get from which point to which point do we meas...

1 answer  ·  posted 2y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Select resistor for a diode

Suppose we have this circuit How do I pick a appropriate value for the resistor R1?

3 answers  ·  posted 2y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+4 −1
What is sacrificed when buying cheaper oscilloscope probes (of same BW/cap/R/gain)

I'm wondering if there are particular aspects of an oscilloscope probe's performance that tend to suffer, or failure points to look out for, if/when buying lower-end makes of oscilloscope probes (l...

1 answer  ·  posted 2y ago by Pete W‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Resistance of digital ampmeter

Can we find the internal resistance of a multimeter ,when we use the multimeter like a ampmeter, from its datasheet? I am trying to find the internal resistance of IDM 505 and I went to the datash...

2 answers  ·  posted 2y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 2y ago by Canina‭

66%
+4 −1
PCB ground planes with isolated voltage

I have designed a PCB that I need to work in which a microcontroller drives a 24 V brushed motor. The input power to the board is 24 V, this is then lowered to 5 V by a step down converter, and thi...

3 answers  ·  posted 2y ago by Alinik‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by KalleMP‭

66%
+4 −1
How to choose the right value for input voltage ripple of an SMPS?

Which important system design parameters need to be locked in order to estimate the maximum allowable level of the input voltage ripple of an SMPS? I have encountered ballpark figures of <1%, &...

1 answer  ·  posted 2y ago by 2kind‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
How to change the polarity of an input using a single switch?

I have an mcu pin and I want to sense a voltage up to 24V to 36V. I want to connect some outputs on the board I'm designing and I don't know whether those outputs will provide a voltage or will be...

1 answer  ·  posted 11mo ago by DeadMouse‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+6 −2
Titanic submarine control considerations

The submarine built by OceanGate went missing on 18th June 2023. A lot of online criticism was directed towards the control hardware of the submarine - Logitech F710 controller. However, why i...

3 answers  ·  posted 10mo ago by Elleanor Lopez‭  ·  last activity 9mo ago by Pogo‭

66%
+2 −0
Variant of a Mosfet's Gate-Source protection

Let's say a 100V voltage spike arrives at +12V and the TVS diode clamps it to 25V. Q2 may or may not be activated. Will this circuit ensure a V_gs lower than 25V for the mosfet Q1 ? Any catch to it...

1 answer  ·  posted 11mo ago by kellogs‭  ·  last activity 11mo ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Why do I need electrodes for ECG measurements?

When recording an ECG signal, the raw signal is taken from the body and sent into an ECG amplifier to amplify the signal to a suitable range and remove common mode and other types of noise. Measur...

1 answer  ·  posted 11mo ago by Carl‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

66%
+2 −0
Circuit which create ac sine wave from dc pulsed signal

A full wave rectifier converts a sine wave to DC pulsed signal of double frequency. Is there a circuit which does the reverse process?

2 answers  ·  posted 1y ago by MissMulan‭  ·  edited 9mo ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

AC DC
66%
+2 −0
Oscillator with non-rechargable battery

Lets say I power an oscillator by a non-rechargable battery. Lets imagine a generic design with LC-circuit and negative resistance created by some transistor circuit. To me it seems that at certai...

1 answer  ·  posted 11mo ago by kek‭  ·  last activity 11mo ago by Olin Lathrop‭

66%
+2 −0
Will shorting a lithium ion battery cause an explosion?

I've seen batteries get shorted a few times. They heat up, and obviously the battery is not useful after, but I've never seen them explode or catch fire. I've read reports of some batteries catchin...

3 answers  ·  posted 7mo ago by matthewsnyder‭  ·  last activity 7mo ago by TonyStewart‭

66%
+2 −0
High power LC circuit with programmable resonant frequency

I intend to build a high-power series LC resonant circuit for the purpose of generating strong magnetic fields at a wide range of frequencies, mostly audio range (1-5000 Hz). The inductor coil is a...

1 answer  ·  posted 10mo ago by dcsuka‭  ·  edited 10mo ago by dcsuka‭