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Transistor calculation — Parallax Forums

Transistor calculation

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-02-08 14:51 in General Discussion
How does one calculate what the resistor value should be that goes between
the stamp and the base of a TIP42A PNP transistor? I would like to switch
8-12v at about 80mA.
Thanks, Dan

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-07 16:27
    Since you are using a PNP you need to tie the emitter to the 12 volt supply
    and the transistor needs to be ON when the STAMP outputs a low (zero). So the
    resitor will have 12 -.7-.3 ( Power supply minus base emitter drop minus Low
    voltage from Stamp) or 11 volts across it. Now the current that is required
    is dependant on the minimum value of Beta (hfe) of the transistor. Remember
    that the approx. resistor (base) current is the collector current (80 mA.)
    divided by minimum Beta. Most small signal transistors have at least a Beta
    of 10 or more so you can safely assume a resistor current of 8 mA. so I would
    use a 1K resistor.


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-07 16:55
    I wouldn't waste a power transistor for switching 80 ma -- a 2N4403 can
    handle 600 ma and is a much smaller package, not to mention cheaper. I use
    this and a 2N4401 for most robot stuff. If you use a 2N2222, the 2N207 is
    the PNP mate to it.

    Original Message

    > Since you are using a PNP you need to tie the emitter to the 12 volt
    supply
    > and the transistor needs to be ON when the STAMP outputs a low (zero). So
    the
    > resitor will have 12 -.7-.3 ( Power supply minus base emitter drop minus
    Low
    > voltage from Stamp) or 11 volts across it. Now the current that is
    required
    > is dependant on the minimum value of Beta (hfe) of the transistor.
    Remember
    > that the approx. resistor (base) current is the collector current (80
    mA.)
    > divided by minimum Beta. Most small signal transistors have at least a
    Beta
    > of 10 or more so you can safely assume a resistor current of 8 mA. so I
    would
    > use a 1K resistor.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-07 16:56
    Thanks a ton. That is exactly what I was looking for. I knew to look for
    the voltage drop but did not know how to calculate that either, bonus. You
    guys/gals are great!
    Dan


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    | | AM |
    | | Please respond |
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    | Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Transistor calculation
    |

    >
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    Since you are using a PNP you need to tie the emitter to the 12 volt supply

    and the transistor needs to be ON when the STAMP outputs a low (zero). So
    the
    resitor will have 12 -.7-.3 ( Power supply minus base emitter drop minus
    Low
    voltage from Stamp) or 11 volts across it. Now the current that is required

    is dependant on the minimum value of Beta (hfe) of the transistor. Remember

    that the approx. resistor (base) current is the collector current (80 mA.)

    divided by minimum Beta. Most small signal transistors have at least a
    Beta
    of 10 or more so you can safely assume a resistor current of 8 mA. so I
    would
    use a 1K resistor.


    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-07 18:10
    At 11:27 AM 2/7/03 -0500, azeasi@a... wrote:
    >Since you are using a PNP you need to tie the emitter to the 12 volt supply
    >and the transistor needs to be ON when the STAMP outputs a low (zero). So the
    >resitor will have 12 -.7-.3 ( Power supply minus base emitter drop minus Low
    >voltage from Stamp) or 11 volts across it.

    This won't work as described and is difficult to make work reliably without
    adding a 2nd transistor. The problem is that a HI on the Stamp pin is only
    5V, whereas the voltage on the base of the PNP is in the range of
    8..12V. The ESD protect diodes on the Stamp pin will cause current to flow
    even it is HI.

    The best way is to use 2 transistors: a small NPN transistor (2n4401)
    driven from the Stamp followed by the PNP transistor connected to the
    8..12V supply.

    NPN-e to gnd. Stamp pin to NPN-b via 1K resistor. Another 1K resistor
    from NPN-b to NPN-e (gnd). PNP-e to +12V. NPN-c to PNP-b via 1K
    resistor. Another 1K resistor from PNP-b to PNP-e (+12). Connect load
    between PNP-c and gnd.

    Note that simply changing the value of the resistor from NPN-c to PNP-b,
    you can tailor this to almost any voltage.

    dwayne

    --
    Dwayne Reid <dwayner@p...>
    Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA
    (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-07 21:19
    In a message dated 2/7/2003 10:23:59 AM Pacific Standard Time,
    dwayner@p... writes:

    > This won't work as described and is difficult to make work reliably without
    > adding a 2nd transistor. The problem is that a HI on the Stamp pin is only
    >
    > 5V, whereas the voltage on the base of the PNP is in the range of
    > 8..12V. The ESD protect diodes on the Stamp pin will cause current to flow
    >
    > even it is HI.
    >
    > The best way is to use 2 transistors: a small NPN transistor (2n4401)
    > driven from the Stamp followed by the PNP transistor connected to the
    > 8..12V supply.
    >
    > NPN-e to gnd. Stamp pin to NPN-b via 1K resistor. Another 1K resistor
    > from NPN-b to NPN-e (gnd). PNP-e to +12V. NPN-c to PNP-b via 1K
    > resistor. Another 1K resistor from PNP-b to PNP-e (+12). Connect load
    > between PNP-c and gnd.
    >
    > Note that simply changing the value of the resistor from NPN-c to PNP-b,
    > you can tailor this to almost any voltage.
    >
    > dwayne
    >

    Or use a logic level mosfet www.glitchbuster.com


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-08 07:20
    This is true...you need to use a second transistor (NPN) in a Common emitter
    configuration to drive the resistor tied to the base of the PNP transistor.
    But the calculations I gave you are still valid for both devices. I use 1K
    resistors for both and use a 2N3904 for the NPN and a 2N3906 or MPSA56 for
    the PNP. This works fine for switching up to several hundred mA through the
    MPSA56. It has a slightly lower CE saturation voltage and can handle more
    current than the 3906.


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-08 07:25
    Is there some reson you are using a PNP transistor? If you can switch the
    negative side of your device you can get away with a single NPN transistor
    whose base conection can be driven through a resistor directly from the STAMP
    output pin. The collector is then tied to the negative side of the device and
    the positive terminal is connected directly to the 8-10 volt supply. This way
    a HIGH output from the STAMP turns ON the device.


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-08 14:51
    Dwayne is right. Here are a few articles you might enjoy:

    http://www.wd5gnr.com/basiccir.htm

    http://www.wd5gnr.com/stampfaq.htm?article=13

    http://www.wd5gnr.com/stampfaq.htm?article=12

    Hope those help!

    Al Williams
    AWC
    * Easy RS-232 Prototyping
    http://www.al-williams.com/awce/rs1.htm
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