EXPERIMENT IV

SILICON-CONTROLLED RECTIFIER
I. OBJECTIVE:
After completing and performing the laboratory experiment, you will
able to:
1. Demonstrate a practical go/no go methods of testing an SCR
with ohmmeter.
2. Show the turn-on (fire) and turn-off (reset) methods for an
SCR.
3. Determine the electrical characteristics of a particular SCR.
4. Define the various SCR parameters.
INTRODUCTION:
The PN junction from gate to cathode of an SCR can be tested with an
ohmmeter similar to a regular diode. However, testing from anode to gate
will not indicate if an SCR is working properly, because one of the PN
junctions is always reverse biased. The SCR can be tested with an ohmmeter
by placing the positive lead on the anode and the negative lead on the
cathode with the gate left open. The meter should read high or infinite
resistance. Placing a clip lead from the anode or positive lead of the
ohmmeter to the gate triggers the SCR and the meter should indicate low
resistance. When the clip lead is removed, the meter continues to indicate
low resistance if the power source is sufficient to produce the required
holding current.
To conduct, the SCR must have its anode more positive than its
cathode. When the gate voltage is made more positive than its cathode, the
SCR turns on or fires and current flows from cathode to anode. When the
gate voltage is again made equal to or more negative than the cathode,
current continues to flow through the SCR. The SCR is turned off or reset by
reducing the current through it below its holding current.
II. MATERIALS NEEDED:
1 Fixed + 12-V power supply
1 Standard or digital voltmeter
1 C106Y1 SCR or equivalent
1 100- resistor at 0.5 W (R1)
1 10-k resistor at 0.5 W (RG)
1 22-k resistor at 0.5 W(RA)
2 DPST switches (S1 and S2)
1 Breadboard for constructing circuit
PART I; TESTING AN SCR WITH AN OHMMETER
1. Set the ohmmeter to the midrange scale.
2. Connect the ohmmeter to the SCR as shown in figure 4.1 and record the
meter reading in table 4.1.

Figure 4.1 Testing an SCR with an ohmmeter: (a) without clip lead; (b) with clip lead; (c)
again without clip lead.
RESULTS:

NI Multisim Simulation

Actual

Computation

PART II: OPERATION OF AN SCR

1. Construct the circuit shown in figure 4.2.
2. Set switches S1 and S2 as indicated and then apply power to the circuit.
3. In the first row of the data table 4.2, record the values of VG and VA.
4. Move S1 to position B and record the values of VG and VA in the second
row of the data table.
5. Move S1 to position A and record the values of VG and VA in the fourth

row of the data table.

6. Move S2 to position B and record the values of VG and VA in the fourth
row of the data table.
7. Move S2 to position A and record the values of VG and VA in the fourth
row of the data table.

Figure 4.2 Operation of an SCR.

NI Multisim Simulation

Fig 1a. Switch 1 is in position A and 2 in Position B

Fig 1a. Switch 1 is in position B and 2 in Position A

SILICON-CONTROLLED RECTIFIER
Experiment IV
DATA SHEET:
PART I : TESTING AN SCRWITH AN OHMMETER
Table 4.1: Ohmmeter Reading
GATE(G)
ANODE(A)
CATHODE(K)
None
Positive
Negative
Positive
Positive
Negative
None
Negative
Positive

READING(H or L)

FILL-IN QUESTIONS:
1. An SCR will have ___________ resistance before being triggered.
2. An SCR will have _____________ resistance before after triggered.
3. The _____________ -to- ___________ resistance of an SCR can be checked like a normal diode.
4. An SCR is being tested with an ohmmeter. When the clip lead on the gate is removed, the meter
indicates high resistance. This does not prove that
the SCR is defective, but that the power source of the meter is not sufficient to produce the necessary
____________,________________ through the device.
PART II: OPERATION OF AN SCR
Table 4.2
S1 Condition

S2 Condition

VG

VA

A
A
A
B
A

1.2mV
823.486mV
1.2mV
1.2mV
1.2mV

11.996V
10.384mV
12V
12V
12V

A
B
A
A
A

Condition of SCR(on or
off)

FILL-IN QUESTIONS:
1. Before firing, the voltage from anode to ground of the SCR is equal to ________
.
2. When the gate is made more __________ the SCR fires and IAK
.
3. Once the SCR fires, the gate control and the current ___________ to flow through the SCR.
4. When the SCR is conducting, the voltage from the anode to ground is equal to ____________ .
5. The SCR can be turned OFF by reducing the current through it below its holding current.

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS:

QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS:

1. The letters SCR stand for silicon-controlled rectifier. Explain the use of the word rectifier in
the name.

2. What two things must happen to cause an SCR to fire?

There are two ways to turn the SCR. The first method is to keep the gate open and make the
supply voltage equal to the breakdown voltage. The second method is to operate SCR with
voltage less than the breakover voltage and then turn it on by means of a small voltage applied to
the gate.
3. What is the difference between triggering gate current and holding current?
Latching current is another name for gate trigger current -- it's a measure of the minimum current
you have to apply to the gate of an SCR to be guaranteed it will turn on (given that there's a
minimum voltage between anode and cathode). Holding current is the specified minimum current
that must be flowing from anode to cathode (with no gate current) and still be guaranteed that the
SCR will not turn off.
4. How much voltage across the anode-cathode terminals of a medium power SCR after it has
fired?
5. How can an SCR be made to conduct?
The thyristor is normally made to conduct by applying a gating pulse, while the main anode and
cathode terminals are forward biased. When the device is reverse biased a gating pulse has no
effect.
5. How can an SCR be turned off?
The simple way to turn off the SCR is to open the line switch. Also, To turn the thyristor off, the
current flowing between anode and cathode must be reduced below a certain critical "holding
current" value, (near to zero); alternatively the anode and cathode may be reverse biased.