RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Boni, Avenue, City of Mandaluyong

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Silicon-Controlled Rectifier
EXPERIMENT TITLE

Experiment Number __

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1-GNR
 SILICON-CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

OBJECTIVES :

1. To be familiar with the characteristics of a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR).

2. To observe and evaluate the operation of an SCR.

MATERIALS :

1 – Resistor, 500 , 5 W
1 – Resistor, 1K , 0.5 W
1 – Potentiometer, 10K 
1 – Silicon-Controlled Rectifier, 2N5060
1 – Breadboard
1 – VOM
1 – Regulated DC Power Supply

PROCEDURES :
1. Construct the experimental circuit as shown.
2. Switches SW1 and SW2 are off. Set VAA down to 0 Volt.
3. Close SW1 applying power to the anode-to-cathode circuit. Adjust VAA until V1
measures 3 Volts VCB. Measure and record anode current, IF, in Table 1.
4. Repeat Step 3 for every values of anode-to-cathode voltage (VCB) in Table 1 and
compute also the value of anode-to-cathode resistance, RCB, by substituting your
measured values of VCB and IF in the formula

𝑉𝐶𝐵
𝑅𝐶𝐵 =
𝐼𝐹

5. Switches SW1 and SW2 are both open. Set VAA to 5 Volts as measured across the
power supply.
6. Close SW2. Gradually increase the gate current, IG, by rotating the potentiometer
until milliammeter M2 measures a gate current of 0.25 mA.
7. Close SW1. M1 will measure anode current (IF) and V1 will measure anode-to-
cathode voltages (VCB) as well as the voltage across the load (VAC). V2 will
measure gate voltages (VG).
8. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for five (5) more times, increasing gate current by 0.10 mA
each time and recording the results in Table 2.

Note : Switch SW1 must be open every time gate current is increased.
 9. Based from the results in Table 2, determine if the SCR has fired. The voltage
across the SCR will be very low and the anode current, I F, will be determined by
VAA and RL, thus

𝑉𝐴𝐴
𝐼𝐹 =
𝑅𝐿 (𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒)

10. After the SCR fires, open SW1 and reduce gate current to 0.25 mA. Close SW1
and check the SCR if it is no longer conducting.
11. Open SW1 and bring gate current to the value at which point the SCR fires. Close
SW1. The SCR should conduct again. You have now determined the value of the
gate current required to turn the SCR on.
12. Open SW2. Observe and record the result, the effect on anode current as gate
current falls to 0. Close again SW2.
13. Determine the holding current, IH, as measured on M1 by gradually reducing VAA
until the SCR turns off. IH is the value of IF just as the SCR turns off.
14. Repeat Steps 5 to 13 but this time doubling the level of VAA, to determine the value
of gate current required to turn the SCR on with a 10 Volts supply.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM :

SW1

500 

M1 VAA

+ _
C
V1
2N5060
_
- +
M2 10K 
+ SW2
V2 1K 
_

B
 DATA AND RESULT :
Table 1. Non-conducting anode-to-cathode resistance of an SCR.

VCB 3V 5V 7V
IF 3.79 A 6.19 A 8.59 A
RCB 0.79 Ω 0.81 Ω 3.81 Ω

Table 2. Characteristics of the SCR.

VAA = 5 Volts VAA = 10 Volts

IG (mA) VCB (V) VAC (V) VG (V) IF (mA) IG (mA) VCB (V) VAC (V) VG (V) IF (mA)
0.25 2.5 V 2.5 V 0.25 V 5 mA 0.25 7.5 V 7.5 V 250.168 mV 5 mA
0.35 2.5 V 2.5 V 0.35 V 5 mA 0.35 7.5 V 7.5 V 350.601 mV 5 mA
0.45 2.5 V 2.5 V 0.45 V 5 mA 0.45 7.5 V 7.5 V 450.103 mV 5 mA
0.55 2.5 V 2.5 V 0.55 V 5 mA 0.55 7.5 V 7.5 V 550.072 mV 5 mA
0.65 2.51 V 2.51 V 0.65 V 4.99 mA 0.65 7.508 V 7.508 V 650.647 mV 4.984 mA
0.75 2.71 V 2.71 V 0.73 V 4.59 mA 0.75 7.87 V 7.87 V 749.947 mV 4.259 mA
IF (computed) 6 172.84 mA IF (computed) 12 35.68 mA
IF (IG=0) 5 mA IF (IG=0) 0.003 mA
IH 5 mA IH 0.003 mA

SIMULATION:
QUESTIONS:
1. What is an SCR?

A Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR) stands as a solid-state current-

regulating device with four layers, extensively applied in power control and
switching contexts. Functioning as a thyristor, it embodies a high-power, high-
voltage switch, rendering it well-suited for diverse industrial and consumer
electronic applications.

2. In general terms, how much voltage appears across the anode-cathode of

an SCR after it has been fired into conduction?

Upon initiation and conduction of an SCR, the voltage across its anode
and cathode diminishes significantly. This voltage typically closely aligns with the
forward voltage drop inherent to the SCR, a value contingent upon the specific
model of the SCR and the prevailing current. The forward voltage drop spans a
range from a few tenths of a volt to several volts, consistently remaining notably
lower than the voltage initially applied to the anode prior to the SCR's triggering.

3. Describe the difference between conduction and non-conduction with the

measured current and voltage values.

a. Conduction:
• Once an SCR is triggered into conduction, it displays a minimal voltage drop
(VCE for a transistor or forward voltage drop for a diode) across its terminals.

b. Non-Conduction:
• In the non-conductive state, the device assumes a high resistance, functioning
akin to an open switch (e.g., the reverse-biased state of a diode or the "off" state
of a transistor).
• During non-conduction, there is typically a substantial voltage drop (VCE for a
transistor or reverse voltage for a diode) across its terminals.

4. Give some specific applications of an SCR.

a. Motor Control:
• SCRs regulate the speed and direction of electric motors in diverse applications,
including industrial machinery, conveyor belts, and elevator systems.
b. Power Supplies:
• In high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission, SCRs convert AC
power to DC, facilitating long-distance power transmission. They also feature in
various power supply configurations, ensuring controlled and stable DC output.
c. Thyristor Switching:
• In power electronics, SCRs serve as switches for power control, finding
application in high-voltage scenarios such as phase-angle control and load
switching.
OBSERVATIONS:
At the onset of the experiment, we successfully simulated the circuit using
Multisim. The completion of Table 1 was straightforward, involving the measurement of
the circuit and resolving the RCB. However, as we progressed to Table 2, the complexity
of understanding and documenting the diverse operating characteristics of the SCR
became evident. We adhered to a sequential methodology, commencing with the
switching of VAA, followed by SW2, and concluding with SW1. The challenge emerged
during the resolution phase of the experiment, where the instructions in the procedure
appeared unclear, leading to some confusion.

CONCLUSION:

As we end the experiment, we conclude that the operational principle of the Silicon-
Controlled Rectifier (SCR) proves instrumental in governing high-power systems and
transforming high alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). The versatile power
capabilities of the SCR indicate its applicability in electronic systems requiring substantial
power loads for conversion. This component finds pervasive use in integral electronic
control systems.