simulating adjustable voltage sources in series

bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage of each battery?

with anything.

way control each voltage without impacting the other batteries, let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of the batteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if I had a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in voltage...

other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable zener... even found this guy

them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm picturing a string of

5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come up with to mimic the batteries...

If you can stand the lowest "battery" as a fixed value (1.5V), there is a trivial solution requiring no current source scheme...

...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

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That's cute, but it does require a reference voltage. If the ambient temp is relatively stable a couple of diode drops could work. Adjusting R5 would still give 1.5mA thru the string. This is all moot(not mute!) if this exercise is only a simulation and not going to be actually built. Art

message

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some way

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them

Yup. If it were just simulation I'd do it all with Jimby's magic sources ;-) ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

to a bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage = of each battery?

come up with anything.

could in some way control each voltage without impacting the other = batteries, let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on= one of the batteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at =

1.5V and if I had a DMM across each battery I should only see the one = battery drop in voltage...

of the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is = the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable = zener... even found this guy

don't see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm = picturing a string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits= I come up with to mimic the batteries...

"simulated battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be = that of the volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source = anything, I just want to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is = that they are in series and that there is a volt meter taking a reading = across each one, and when you change the voltage on one it doesn't change= on the other meters.

pot some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do this...= and i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basic = sketch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point = of one voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in = series... so when I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference = point of the next voltage=20

adjust all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was = just a string of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could = have a program that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their = voltage constant whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's = gotta be a better, more hardware based solution...

Just asking so that i understand the goal better: Are trying to make a series string of simulated battery cells? Are you asking for a way to measure them? Both? Or what?

?-)

to a bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage of= each battery?

me up with anything.

d in some way control each voltage without impacting the other batteries, l= et's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of the ba= tteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if I had = a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in voltage= ...

of the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is the= negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable zener= ... even found this guy

t see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm picturing a= string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come up wi= th to mimic the batteries...

ted battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be that of the = volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source anything, I just want = to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is that they are in series = and that there is a volt meter taking a reading across each one, and when y= ou change the voltage on one it doesn't change on the other meters.

pot some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do this... a= nd i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basic sket= ch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point of one = voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in series... so wh= en I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference point of the next vol= tage=20

t all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was just a str= ing of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could have a program= that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their voltage constant= whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's gotta be a better, = more hardware based solution...

String of simulated battery cells, 100 of them, 5V each, so I need to put 5=

00V into this thing and control each simulated cell.

bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage of each battery?

up with anything.

some way control each voltage without impacting the other batteries, let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of the batteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if I had a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in voltage...

the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable zener... even found this guy

see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm picturing a string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come up with to mimic the batteries...

battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be that of the volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source anything, I just want to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is that they are in series and that there is a volt meter taking a reading across each one, and when you change the voltage on one it doesn't change on the other meters.

some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do this... and i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basic sketch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point of one voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in series... so when I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference point of the next voltage

all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was just a string of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could have a program that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their voltage constant whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's gotta be a better, more hardware based solution...

into this thing and control each simulated cell.

If it's just "simulated", use 100 _parameterized_ voltage sources in series. ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

ar to a bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage= of each battery?

come up with anything.

ould in some way control each voltage without impacting the other batteries= , let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of the= batteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if I h= ad a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in volt= age...

one of the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is = the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable ze= ner... even found this guy

on't see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm picturin= g a string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come up= with to mimic the batteries...

ulated battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be that of t= he volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source anything, I just wa= nt to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is that they are in seri= es and that there is a volt meter taking a reading across each one, and whe= n you change the voltage on one it doesn't change on the other meters.

al pot some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do this..= . and i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basic s= ketch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point of o= ne voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in series... so= when I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference point of the next = voltage=20

just all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was just a = string of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could have a prog= ram that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their voltage const= ant whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's gotta be a bette= r, more hardware based solution...

t 500V into this thing and control each simulated cell.

I'm not sure what you mean there. When I say simulated I mean it's a circu= it that simulates or acts like a string of battery cells. The way a current= source pumping a constant current through a string of variable resistors w= ould look, just a bunch of adjustable voltages in series with each other.

to a bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the voltage of each battery?

come up with anything.

in some way control each voltage without impacting the other batteries, let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of the batteries to

0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if I had a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in voltage...

of the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery is the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable zener... even found this guy

see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm picturing a string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come up with to mimic the batteries...

"simulated battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be that of the volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source anything, I just want to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is that they are in series and that there is a volt meter taking a reading across each one, and when you change the voltage on one it doesn't change on the other meters.

pot some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do this... and i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basic sketch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point of one voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in series... so when I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference point of the next voltage

all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was just a string of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could have a program that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their voltage constant whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's gotta be a better, more hardware based solution...

500V into this thing and control each simulated cell.

that simulates or acts like a string of battery cells. The way a current source pumping a constant current through a string of variable resistors would look, just a bunch of adjustable voltages in series with each other.

"Simulate" means to model in a computer program like LTspice.

I think you're looking for a hardware "emulator" that behaves like the real thing ?:-)

What are you trying to do exactly? ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.     Sometimes I even put it in the food.

milar to a bunch of batteries in series, but where I could control the volt= age of each battery?

to come up with anything.

I could in some way control each voltage without impacting the other batter= ies, let's say I use a digital pot somehow to adjust the voltage on one of = the batteries to 0.5V. All the other batteries should stay at 1.5V and if = I had a DMM across each battery I should only see the one battery drop in v= oltage...

in one of the other batteries (this is because the positive of one battery = is the negative of the other) I've thought of maybe some kind of adjustable= zener... even found this guy

t don't see them working if they are in serial like I need them. I'm pictu= ring a string of 5V zeners all being used to power whatever circuits I come= up with to mimic the batteries...

simulated battery" voltage. And the only load they will see will be that o= f the volt meter, so they hardly have to be able to source anything, I just= want to read the voltages on them. My only criteria is that they are in s= eries and that there is a volt meter taking a reading across each one, and = when you change the voltage on one it doesn't change on the other meters.

gital pot some how, but my problem is that i can't think of a way to do thi= s... and i don't mean in any detail, just in a general sense... like a basi= c sketch of how this might be accomplished... because the reference point o= f one voltage will also be the "hot" point of the next voltage in series...= so when I adjust a voltage I'm also shifting the reference point of the ne= xt voltage=20

adjust all other voltages when one is moved. For example if this was just= a string of variable resistors (a long voltage divider) you could have a p= rogram that would adjust all other resistor values to keep their voltage co= nstant whenever you change the voltage on one.... but there's gotta be a be= tter, more hardware based solution...

put 500V into this thing and control each simulated cell.

rcuit that simulates or acts like a string of battery cells. The way a curr= ent source pumping a constant current through a string of variable resistor= s would look, just a bunch of adjustable voltages in series with each other= .

ok yes hardware emulator, I'm just trying to come up with a circuit that ca= n act like a bunch of variable voltage sources in series with each other. I= t emulates a bunch of battery cells in series with each other. But there w= ill be no load on any of the voltages, just differential voltage measuremen= ts monitoring each one. It's going to take in 500V and divide it down thro= ugh 100 cells to end up with a bunch of 5V cells in series.