Re: Voltage -Divider Biased transistor circuit

Mar 19, 2007 6 Replies


snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:


>> hello
>> i am trying to find resistors values R1 and R2 in a voltage divider
>> biased transistor circuit.
>> the following info is given: Vcc=+24 volts, Rc=680
>> ohms(collector),Re=47ohms(emitter).
>
>There are many ways to calculate the resistor values,
>depending on the quality of the approximations used.
>
>Lets start with the simplest.
>
>Simplifying assumption #1: Assume the current gain of the
>transistor is infinite (no base current).
>
>Simplifying assumption #2: Assume the base to emitter drop
>is a typical value, like .6 volts.
>
>Simplifying assumption #3: Assume you want the collector
>bias voltage to be half way between the positive supply, and
>the voltage you would get if you replaces the transistor
>with a short circuit. That short circuit voltage would be
>24*47/(47+680)=1.55, s the half way point between that and
>+24 would be 12.77 volts. Since we are doing
>approximations, lets call that 13 volts.
>
>First we calculate what the emitter voltage is when the
>collector voltage is at this bias point of 13 volts. This
>bias point puts (24-13)/680=.016 amps. Bases on S.A.#1,
>this same current is passing through the 47 ohm emitter
>resistor, so its drop is .016*47=.75 volts.
>
>
>Adding the nominal base to emitter drop from S.A.#2, we find
>the base voltage is .75+.6=1.35 volts.
>
>So R1 and R2 have to divide the 24 volt supply to produce
>1.35 volts base voltage. So (if R1 is the resistor to the
>+24 volt supply), 24*
R2/(R1+R2)=1.35 Solving for R1 in
>terms of R2, that comes out R1=16.68*R2
>
>Unfortunately, there are an infinite number of resistor
>pairs that will divide 24 volts down to 1.35 volts, so we
>need some additional piece of info to pick a pair.
>
>To do that , we have to give up a simplifying assumption.
>We have to estimate what the actual base current will be,
>because S.A.#1 can't be right. So we can slightly improve
>that assumption by guessing a current gain. So, I am going
>to change that assumption to assuming that the current gain
>is 100. If you have a transistor in mind, you can check the
>data sheet for a better value.
>
>So now we have to have a divider that produces about 1.35
>volts while delivering .016A/100=.00016A to the base.
>
>We can calculate the values with this exact current included
>in the formula, but since it is an educated guess that might
>be off by a considerable factor, either way, the
>approximation often used is to just make the current passing
>through the divider something like 10 times this estimated
>base current, so that the base current distorts the divider
>only a little. And when you get to picking actual values,
>err on the side that produces slightly more base voltage to
>compensate for the droop caused by the small base current.
>
>So we have the above ratio that R1=16.68*R2 and the total
>divider current 24/(R1+R2)=.0016A.
>
>Solving these two equations, I get:
>R1=14152
>R2=848
>
>Picking the nearest 5% values (the E24 set available at:
>
formatting link

>that will produce a slightly higher voltage, I would use:
>R1=13k
>R2=910
>
>A check of 24*R2/(R1+R2)=1.57 volts, without any base
>current loading it down. The guessed .0016A of base current
>will drop this slightly to 1.57-.00016/(1/R1+1/R2)=1.43
>volts. So I may have over compensated by picking 910 for
>R2, instead of 820. My choices would produce an emitter
>voltage of about 1.43-.6=.83 volts. This represents an
>emitter current of about .83/47=.0177ma. and based on our
>guess of a current gain of 100, 99% of that will be
>collector current, so the drop across the collector resistor
>will be 680*.99*.0177=11.9 volts, down from 24 for a
>collector bias point of 12.1, where we were shooting for 13.
> Perhaps good enough, perhaps not.
>
>When you get tired of such approximations, you move up to a
>more accurate set of simplifying assumptions and
>approximations and solve more complicated equations that
>better model the details.

Crikey, his electronics 100 class tutor WILL be pleased with your\\\\\\\\his very thorough assignment this week.

Just a first fly over. Well, perhaps good enough for E100.

I was hoping you would do a more detailed version.

Not likely. I don't believe they (students) learn when others do their assignments, and I'm all for them actually learning their way through the education system.

Mind you, I reckon you did a bloody fine job for him/her.

very

You still can learn a lot even if someone figures out the problem for you because sooner or later that same type of problem can come up and then you will know how to do it. Besides some teachers just dont know how to explain things good.

very

I seen these formulas on a web site for calculating R1 and R2

R1 = (Vcc - Vb) / (10 x ib) R2 = ( Vb) / (9 x ib)

very

How can you say this with a straight face? When someone else does your homework for you, what you learn is to ask someone else to do your homework for you.

Apparently your English teacher is an example of one.

Thanks, Rich

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: (snip)

That shows the same generality that the bias divider should pass about 10 times the base current that I used. I think this pair of equations can be pulled out of the two I gave you.

Now, a question for you to think about. Since having the divider pass so much more current than is actually needed to bias the base, this really lowers the amplifier input impedance and wastes some supply power. Why do you think a current factor of 10 x ib is more common, than, say, 2 or 3?

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