Total Marks:

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGY

PLT107 ELECTRONICS 1

Laboratory Module 4
LIMITER AND CLAMPER
CIRCUITS
(Zener Diode and Voltage Regulation)

Munariss Bin Mohideen Abdul Cader

Student Name:.................................................................................................
201361534
Metrics Num:....................................................................................................
RY32
Program: ........................................................................................................
Dr.Liew Hui Fang
Instructor Name:...............................................................................................

Date:..................................
SUBMITTE
D

Signature & Date (Student) Signature & Date

(Instructor/lecturer)
PLT 107 Electronics Laboratory Module 4
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EXPERIMENT 4: ZENER DIODE AND VOLTAGE

REGULATION OBJECTIVE

 To analyze zener diode characteristics

 To analyze zener diode as a simple voltage regulator

COMPONENTS AND EQUIPMENTS

Resistors 220 Ω - 2 units

1N753, 6.2V
DC power
supply
Multimeters
Breadboard

INTRODUCTION
Operation wise, zener diodes are normally reverse biased. They maintain a constant
voltage across their terminals over a specified range of current. A zener diode can be
modeled by a constant dc voltage source in series with a resistor. As a regulator, the zener
diode maintains a dc output voltage that is essentially constant level regardless of the
fluctuations in load current.

Maximum limiting series resistance

R (max) Vin (min) (4.1)

= Vout
S
I L (max)
Output voltage

Vout = VZ (ideal = 6.2V) (4.2

Vout = VZ IZRZ (actual) (4.3)
+

Where IZ = IZ – IZT
RZ = zener diode internal resistance = VZ / IZ
IZT = zener test current (20mA)

Zener diode current

IZ = IS – IL (4.4)

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Source
current Vin
Vout (4.5)
IS =
RS

Load current
VZ
IL = (4.6)
RL

Zener diode power dissipation

PZ = IZVZ (4.7)

Percent load regulation

VNL VFL
%VR = x100% (4.8)
V FL

where VNL = no load (open circuit) output voltage

VFL = full load output voltage

PRE-LAB CALCULATION
1. Calculate the expected values of the parameters for full load condition in Figure 2 and
record in Table 2.
2. Calculate the expected values of the parameters for no load condition if RL in
Figure 2 is disconnect and record in Table 3.
(Assume Vout = 6.2 V, VZ(ideal) = 6.2 V, IZT = 20mA and RZ = 8.34 Ω)

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PLT 107 Electronics Laboratory Module 4
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PROCEDURE

A) Determination of zener’s current and voltage:

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of zener’s current and voltage

1. Setup the circuit as shown in Figure 1.

2. Increase the dc supply voltage, VDC with 1 V, whiles simultaneously measuring
the voltage (VZ) and current (IZ) of zener diode. Record the data in Table 1.
3. Repeat step 2 for other dc supply voltage as listed in Table 1.

(NOTE: Do not exceed the zener current of 40 mA )

4. Plot your results for the corresponding zener current and voltage values on the
graph.
5. From your graph, determine the voltage (VZ) across the zener diode if IZ = 20mA,
and the zener diode internal resistance, RZ.

B) Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (Full Load):

VFL

Figure 2: Schematic diagram of Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (Full

Load)

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PLT 107 Electronics Laboratory Module 4
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1. Setup the circuit shown in the Figure 2.

2. Apply dc voltage (Vin = 15 V).
3. Measure the source current (IS), zener current (IZ), load current (IL) and full load
output voltage (VFL).
4. Record the values in Table 2.

C)Zener Diode Voltage Regulator (No Load):

1. From the circuit on Figure 2, disconnect load resistor (RL).

2. Measure the source current (IS), zener current (IZ), and output voltage with no
load (VNL).
3. Record your values in Table 3.

D) Load Regulation
Calculate the percent load regulation. Show your calculation.

Part A

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 PLT 107 Electronics Laboratory Module 4
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Part B
Full Load

No Load

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PRE-LAB CALCULATION

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RESULTS

Table 1 (8.5 marks)

VDC Zener Voltage, VZ (V) Zener Current, IZ (mA)

(V)
1 1.0 V 0 mA

2 2.0 V 0mA

3 3.0 V 0 mA

4 4.0 V 0 mA

5 5.0 V 0 mA

6 5.997 V 0.012 mA

6.1 6.065 V 0.161 mA

6.2 6.094 V 0.486 mA

6.3 6.109 V 0.870 mA

6.119 V 1.277 mA
6.4

6.5 6.127 V 1.697 mA

7 6.149 V 3.869 mA

8 6.171 V 8.314 mA

9 6.185 V 13.000 mA

10 6.195 V 17.000 mA

11 6.203 V 22.000 mA

12 6.210 V 26.000 mA

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PLT 107 Electronics Laboratory Module 4
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Plot graph IZ vs Vz (6

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Marks From graph

(2Marks):

1. Zener knee voltage (VZ) when IZ = 20 mA: 6.2 V

2. Internal zener resistance (RZ): 1.5 Ω

Table 2 Full Load data (6 Marks)

%
Measured Value Expected Value
Error
IS 40 mA 40 mA 0%

IZ 12 mA 11.82 mA 1.5 %

IL 28 mA 28.18 mA 0.64 %

VF 6.182 V 6.132 V 0.81 %

L

Table 3 No Load data (4.5 Marks)

%
Measured Value Expected Value
Error
IS 40 mA 40 mA 0%

IZ 40 mA 40 mA 0%

VN 6.228 V 6.367 V 2.23 %

L

Calculation of load regulation (1 Mark)

% VR = VNL - VFL x 100 %

VFL
= 6.228 - 6.182 x 100 %
6.182
= 0.74 %

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