Kaye Antonnet R.

Adolfo MEA 2101L

BSME 2 Group 1

Activity 2
Basic Meter Measurements in LTspice

I. OBJECTIVES

1. To measure the voltage and current of a circuit using the LTspice software.
2. To create series and parallel connected resistances using the software, and differentiate
the two by observing the data retrieved from the simulation process.
3. To calculate the expected values for voltage and current and compare it to the measured
values provided by the software by calculating the current % error.

II. CIRCUITS SIMULATED FROM LTSPICE WINDOWS AS PROOF

CIRCUIT FOR VOLTAGE AND CURRENT MEASUREMENTS

The constructed circuit with its corresponding voltage and resistance values.
The simmulated circuit with the edited stop time, time to start saving data, and maximum
timestep.
SERIES CONNECTED RESISTANCES CIRCUIT

The constructed circuit with its corresponding voltage and resistance values.

The simmulated circuit with the edited stop time, time to start saving data, and maximum
timestep.
PARALLEL CONNECTED RESISTANCES CIRCUIT

The constructed circuit with its corresponding voltage and resistance values.
The simmulated circuit with the edited stop time, time to start saving data, and maximum
timestep.
III. CALCULATIONS OF EXPECTED VALUES
 IV. DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

Voltage and Current Measurements

Table 1
Component Measured Values Expected Values Current
Voltage, V Current, mA Voltage Current % error
V1 source 10 V - 20 mA 10 V 20 mA 0%
R1=500Ω 10 V 20 mA 10 V 20 mA 0%

From the table, it shows that V1 and R1 have the same voltage and current value. It is because
there is only one resistance connected to the circuit.
Looking at V1’s current measured and expected values, they have a difference between their signs.
Due to this, the software’s generated values can be questionable.

Series Connected Resistances

Table 2
Parameters Source V1 R1=500Ω R2=200Ω R3=300Ω
Voltage, V 10 V 5V 2V 3V
Current, mA -9.9999998 mA -9.9999998 mA 9.9999998 mA 9.9999998 mA
Voltage comp 10 V 5V 2V 3V
Current comp 10 mA 10 mA 10 mA 10 mA
Current %e 0.000002% 0.000002% 0.000002% 0.000002%

The table shows that in series-connected resistances, the current is constant, while the voltage is
dependent on the resistance value. In this circuit, the voltage is distributed to the three resistances.
As you can see in the table, the relationship between voltage and resistance is directly proportional.
When the resistance value drops, the equivalent voltage will also be low.
The measured current values are the same in numbers but different in signs; they are in decimal
form but when rounded off they equal to the expected value. From there we can tell that there is a
small error coming from the software. Through the current percentage error, it is proven that an
error is present.
 Parallel Connected Resistances

Table 3
Parameters Source V1 R1=500Ω R2=1000Ω R3=1500Ω
Voltage, V 10 V 10 V 10 V 10
Current, mA -36.666665 mA 20 mA 9.9999998 mA 6.6666668
Voltage comp 10 V 10 V 10 V 10
Current comp 36.66666667 mA 20 mA 10 mA 6.666666667
Current %e 0.00000455454 % 0% 0.000002 % 0.00000001995%
.

In parallel-connected resistances, the voltage is constant, while the current depends on the
resistance value. In this circuit, the current is distributed to the three resistances. Looking at the
table, the relationship between current and resistance is inversely proportional. When the
resistance value increases, the current value drops.
Looking at the table, the same issue is observed; the misplacement of signs and a small error in
the decimal values generated from the software. Through the current percentage error, it is proven
that an error is present.

V. CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION

In conclusion, measuring the current of a circuit using the LTspice software can be
unreliable at times. It is mainly caused by the misplacement of signs and small
numerical errors. However, despite the numerical errors from the measured values,
they are very close to the expected values that when you round them off, they will
have the same value.

Making series and parallel circuits using the software is very easy and efficient
because all the tools that are needed for creating a circuit is already provided by the
software. The difference between series and parallel circuit is their constants. In a
series circuit, the current is constant, while the voltage is distributed to the existing
resistances. In a parallel circuit the voltage is constant, while the current is distributed
to the existing resistances.

Overall, the performance of the software is good, but the user must be cautious with
the signs and values generated by the software. By doing so, the user must always
double check and do the calculations by hand to verify the values from the software.