Lab 1 - Fundamental Electronics Instrumentation and Introduction to Circuit

Maker
Date: 20/18/20
Group: Esekaia Daulako (s11187850)
Salimoni Nasomia (s11186374)
Sepesa Taukete (s11176499)

Aim
The following experiment seeks to learn the basic usage knowledge of fundamental electronics
equipment and conduct simple circuit analysis using the Circuit Maker software.
Introduction
In the world of mechanical devices today, most measurement are made by electronic instrumentation,
not the crude mechanical devices of the past[ CITATION Mit071 \l 1033 ] .However , many of the
measurement a mechanical engineer make are done with specialized calibrated equipment , but some
are still made with basic electronic instruments , and the reading interpreted by the operator [ CITATION
Mit071 \l 1033 ].Furthermore, power electronic is a rapidly growing area in term of research and
application , use modern electronics technology to convert electric power from one form to another, for
instance AC-DC,DC-DC,DC-AC and AC-AC with a variable output magnitude and frequency
[ CITATION Muh10 \l 1033 ].Thus ,in, this lab we will be using some of these electronic instrumentation in
order to familiarize and gain more knowledge and experience on using them.
Equipment
 Power supply, oscilloscope, signal generator and multimeter (equipment typically mounted on
an electronics workbench)
 Randomly chosen resistors (x3)
 BNC to BNC cables
 PC installed with Circuit Maker

Method
Part 1
I. The students received the required set of apparatus which were distributed by the lab technician.
This consisted of a pair of jumper cables, a bread board and 3 randomly selected resistors.
II. Each resistor had a different number of color bands and arrangement of bands that were read
from the area of least (thin) interval to the last band. The readings were done with respect to the
resistor color code chart.
III. The calculated values were recorded.
IV. The same resistors were inserted into the breadboard.
V. Multimeter probes were connected to the multimeter through their respective ports whilst the
machine gave no output.
VI. The machine was then turned on and the output mode was activated after the probes were
secured.
VII. The probes were placed into contact with both sides of the resistor and the displayed resistance
on the multimeter was recorded.

Part 2
I. The DC power supply was used as the source as the jumper cables were plugged from the DC
power supply and attached to the multimeter.
II. The power supply was then activated and calibrated to zero voltage.
III. At increments of 2.5V, the voltage was gradually increased and the measured was voltage
recorded.

Part 3
I. The lab demonstrator showed students how to operate the oscilloscope and the probes were and
tested.

Part 4
I. Using the BNC cables, the signal generator was connected to the digital oscilloscope.
II. At every frequency output, the signal generator had a calibration of 2V.
III. Sine waves, square waves and triangular waves were each used to express various frequencies.
The scales were changed to enable visibility of the waves at high frequency.
IV. Images of the displayed waves at different frequencies were captured and saved.

Part 5
I. The ‘Circuit Maker’ software was activated from the laboratory PC.
II. Circuit components were selected from the software window and placed as shown in the lab
manual (Fig.1).
III. After the components were connected, a simulation was run.
IV. Voltage at each terminal in the generated circuit was measured using the probe tool.
V. Images of this setup and readings were captured and saved.
VI. The battery in the circuit was replaced with a signal generator and the readings were repeated at
the same terminals.
VII. Images of the new setup were capture and saved.

Part 1 – Reading Resistor Values

Table 1: Resistor Values

Calculated values Measured values % Error
 Band 1: 5 GV −MV
%= x
Resistor 1 Band 2: 1 GV
Band 3: x100 100
Band 4: ± 5%
Band 5: 5.1−5.056
= x 100
Resistance: 51 x 100 5.1
= 5.1 KΩ ± 5% 5.056 kΩ

= 0.86%
Band 1: 2
Resistor 2 Band 2: 1
Band 3: 0 210−239.34
= x 100
Band 4: x1 210
Band 5: ± 1%
Resistance: 210 x 1
= 210 Ω ± 1% 239.34 Ω = 13.97%

Band 1: 1
Resistor 3 Band 2: 0
Band 3: 0 100−99.83
= x 100
Band 4: x 1k 100
Band 5: ± 1%
Band 6: 50 ppm/K
Resistance: 100 x 1k
= 100kΩ ± 1%, 50 ppm/K 99.83 kΩ = 0.17%
Figure 1.0 Resistance Color Code Chart

Part II – Power Supply Basics

Table 2: Power supply voltage values
Generated voltage (V) Measured voltage (V) % Error
0.0 0 0
2.5 2.53 1.2
5.0 5.07 1.4
7.5 7.53 0.4
10 10.04 0.4
12.5 12.55 0.4
15.0 15.05 0.33
17.5 17.51 0.06
20.0 19.98 0.1
22.5 22.53 0.13
25.0 25.06 0.24
27.0 27.48 0.07
30.0 30.06 0.2

Graph of DC vs Percentage Error

Graph of Generated Voltage vs Percentage Error

1.6
1.4
1.2
1
% Error

0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Generated Voltage (V)

Fig 2.0 Graph of Generated Voltage Vs Percentage Error

Part III- Calibrating the Oscilloscope

Using the probe, check the calibration of the Oscilloscope. Your demonstrator will help with this.

Part IV – Using the Oscilloscope

i. Sine Wave @ 20Hz, 1KHz, 15kHz

Figure 4.1 Sine wave 20Hz

Figure 4.2 Sine wave 1KHz

Figure 4.3 Sine wave 15KHz

ii. Square Wave @ 30Hz, 2kHz, 26kHz

Figure 4.4 Square wave 30Hz

Figure 4.5 Square wave 2KHz

Figure 4.6 Square wave 26KHz

iii. Triangular Wave @ 15Hz, 3kHz, 30kHz

Figure 4.7 Triangular wave 15Hz

Figure 4.8 Triangular wave 3KHz

Figure 4.9 Triangular wave 30KHz

Part V – Introduction to Circuit Maker

Figure 5.1 Circuit Using Battery

Figure 5.2 Circuit Using Signal Generator

Analysis & Discussion

Part 1
The resistors each had a different magnitude of resistance which are described in the color code chart.
It was observed that each measured value was not equivalent to its theoretical value (which is always
the case in every experiment). Although it is evident that with higher level resistors, the percentage
error becomes less significant (decreases). For example, ‘Resistor 2’ with the theoretical value of 210
Ω had 13.7% error while ‘Resistor 3’ with the theoretical value of 100 kΩ had a 0.17% error. This
shows that as indicated by the indirectly proportional relationship between resistance, R and current, I,
increasing levels of resistors reduce the current flow to a point where the theoretical value of resistors
is near equal to their measured value.
Part 2
As the voltage from the DC power supply was delivered to the multimeter at increments of 2.5 volts, it
was perceived that the percentage error or difference between the generated voltage and measured
voltage generally had a fluctuating trend. The multimeter may be a factor in this trend as there are at
times, unavoidable voltage offsets present in the input of the system. In addition, the errors may also
result from the magnetic fields present within the environment. According to laws of basic physics,
magnetic equations are associated with and can be used to express the amount of voltage magnetic field
induces in a circuit. The induced voltage is calculated using the equation:

[ CITATION Mil16 \l 1033 ]

Part 3
Oscilloscopes (A.K.A ‘scopes’) are used to create visual representations of voltage signals as well as
express frequency. Learning the basic knowledge of how to operate and calibrate this machine is a
significant attribute to understanding electrical systems. The machine was calibrated and tested using
probes.

Part 4
The signal generator had a constant value of voltage throughout each output with a varying frequency
making voltage negligible in the equation of the waves. With an increasing frequency output, the
sinusoidal waves decreased which corresponds to the inversely proportional relationship between the
two elements of the waves. However, throughout each waveform that is sine wave, square wave and
triangle wave, the influence of frequency on amplitude is near negligible indicating that frequency and
amplitude are independent of each other.

Part 5
Circuit Maker software is a helpful instrument in understanding and calculating a possible circuit that
engineers can use in real life. Analog simulation of the generated circuit allowed the students to probe
and read the voltage at each terminal in a circuit. The results indicated that the capacitors did not
increase the output of voltage and instead had a reading of zero voltage. It can be noted that battery
sources supply voltages whereby readings are constant whereas signal generators simply create an
output of voltage patterns that form different waves (with respect to amplitude and period) at different
positions.

Conclusion
To conclude, at the end of these experiment we have achieved in knowing the basic usage
knowledge of fundamental electronics. Perusing and examination of the of various
electronic instrument was accomplished in order to identify the various band with the uses
of the resistor color code and the use of the circuit maker 2000 to achieve the different
voltages at the various resistor and its analysis was much more clear. We found that as the
resistor gets higher the percentage error decreased.
Due to some slight errors the Vp-p of 2v that was needed was unstable, which ended with
the graph having a slight drop. Also, the slight change in values from the electronic
instruments were because the fluctuating in percentage error. The causes of these error
were due to parallax error and wasn’t able to get the accurate values that were needed.

References

[1] Mitchell.S.Cotrell, in Basic Electronic Instrumentation, 2007, p. 1.

[2] Muhammad.H.Rashid, in Power Electronic Handbook:Device,Circuit and Application, 2010.

[3] M. Budimir, "Test and Measurement Tips," WTWH Media LLC, 17 June 2016. [Online]. Available:
https://www.testandmeasurementtips.com/avoid-errors-low-voltage-measurements/. [Accessed 23
August 2020].

[4] Mitchell.S.Cotrell, 2007.

[5] A. C. a. S. Matthew, "Fundamentals of Electric Circuits," 5th ed ed., McGraw-Hill, 2013.

[6] USP Lab Manual
Lab 1