Project Proposal for Engineering Workshop

Project:

Electronic Circuit Breaker with

High/Low Voltage Protection
Components Required for Circuit Breaker:
• LM358 (Dual Package Op-amp)
• 7805 (+5V regulator)
• 12V Step Down Transformer
• 5V Relay
• BC547 (2Nos)
• 10K Variable POT
• 1K,2K,2.2K,10K,5.1K Resistors
• 100uF, 10uF, 0.1uF Capacitors
• Diode Bridge
• Connecting Wires
• Bread Boar

Circuit Diagram:
Circuit Explanation:
As shown above in circuit breaker schematic, it is really simple and just a bunch of
resistors, capacitors and other stuff. But what actually happens behind all these. How the
values of the components are selected and what is the role of them here?
I have tried to answer this question by breaking them into each segments and explaining
them below.

Power Section:
The op-amp is the heart of this electronic circuit breaker diagram. We need a
regulated 5V supply to power this op-amp. Also we need to feed the current voltage
(Voltage at any particular time) to the op-amp. The op-amp can handle only up to 5V
since it is powered by 5V. Hence we need to convert the Input AC voltage (220V AC) to 0-
5V DC.

So the above circuit solves two purposes.

• Provide a constant 5V for powering up the circuitry
• Maps down the Input AC voltage to 0-5V for the op-amp

To achieve this we have used a 12V Step Down transformer which converts the 220V AC to
12V AC then we rectify it with a diode bridge to 12V DC (Approx) and then regulate
voltage to 5V by using a 7805 Voltage regulator. Any changes in the input voltage will
affect the value of voltage in the output side of the diode bridge. Hence this voltage can be
considered as the “current voltage” of the AC mains. By using a 5.1K resistor and a 10K
POT (forming a potential divider) we have mapped the voltage between 0-5V.

Op-Amp Section:

This section is the part where the comparison takes places. We have two subdivisions in
the op-amp section. One is used to compare the “current voltage” with High Voltage value
and the other is used to compare with Low voltage Value. Both the sections are shown in
the image below.

The op-amp circuit shown above is the Differential mode of an Op-amp. Op-amp are
really a work horse for most of the electronics circuits, it has many mode of operation and
applications like Summing, subtracting, amplifying etc... We have used it as a voltage a
comparator here.

So what is a voltage comparator and why do we need them here?

A voltage comparator in our case compares the voltage between the pins 3 and 2 and if the
voltage on pin 3 is greater than pin 2 then the output at pin 1 gets high (3.6V) else the
output will be 0V. We compare the “current Voltage” with the preset High and Low
voltage to get a high/low voltage trigger.
In the circuit shown above the low voltage threshold is set on pin 2 using the resistors 1K
and 2K. The high voltage threshold is set on the pins 5 using the 1K and 2.2K resistors.
Using these resistors forms a potential divider and provides a 3.33V of low voltage cut off
and 3.43V as high Voltage cut-off. This means that only if the “current voltage” is between
3.33V to 3.43V both the op-amps will go high.

Note: I have set the threshold voltages at 3.33V and 3.43 Volt since my upper cut off was
230V and lover cut-off was 220V. You can set them accordingly and then calibrate the
circuit by using the 10K pot to control the “current voltage”.

Relay Section:
This is the place where we attach the AC load. The relay is use to turn ON/OFF the AC
load.

As discussed in the op-amp section. Both the op-amp will get high only if the voltage is in-
between the High and Low voltage cut-off limits. So we have to turn ON an AC load only if
both the op-amp’s outputs are high. Here the “Low Voltage Trigger” and “High
Voltage Trigger” are the output of the pin 1 and pin 7 respectively.

Only if both are high, the Relay will get its ground and the will be triggered. The AC load
(here a Lamp) id connected through the relay. A resistor of 1K is used for current limiting.

Once you understand how the circuit works making it work will be not a problem. Simply
wire up the circuits and use the 10K pot to set our “current Voltage” between your “High
Voltage Trigger” and “Low Voltage Trigger”. Now if there is any change in the AC main
Voltage either of your op-amp will go low and your relay will turn off, thus turning off the
Load connected to it.

The simulation uses a Potentiometer to vary the input voltage and a Green LED as a load.
You can also monitor the voltage values at each terminal which will help you to
understand the circuit much better.