CHARACTERISTICS OF SCR AND TRIAC

PRELAB QUESTIONS:
1. What are the applications of SCR?
2. List out different types of thyristors.
3. Define Latching current and Holding current.
4. What is turn on and turn off methods of thyristor?
5. Give advantages and disadvantages of TRIAC.
6. What are the applications of SCR and TRIAC?

AIM:
To conduct and plot the static V-I characteristics of the following power
semiconductor devices.
 SCR – TY 604
 TRIAC – BTM36

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
S. NO. NAME OF THE EQUIPMENT RANGE QUANTITY
1. Device trainer kit --- 1
2. DMM --- 3
3. Patch Chords --- As required

PROCEDURE:
SCR: V-I Characteristics
1. Connections are made as per the circuit diagram shown in Fig.1.1.
2. The supply is initially switched ON initially by keeping V1 and V2 in
minimum position.
3. The Gate current is set to 10 mA by varying V2
4. By varying V1 slowly, the values of VAK are tabulated for every 5 volts.
SCR: To find Latching current
1. By varying V1, the anode voltage is adjusted to 20V and the device must
be in the OFF state with Gate open.
2. The Gate voltage V2 is gradually increased till the device turns ON.
3. This is a minimum Gate current required to turn on the SCR.
4. By removing the Gate current, R1 is varied and the anode current, which
is the “holding current”, is noted down.
TRIAC: characteristics
1. The connections are made as shown in Fig.1.2.
2. The TRIAC is connected in forward direction and supply is
switched ‘ON’.
3. VMT1MT2 is constant by varying RPS2 and then varying IG by

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Power Electronics and Drives Laboratory
 varying RPS1.
4. The corresponding ammeter and voltmeter readings are noted and
tabulated.
5. Next the TRIAC is connected in reverse direction and the connections
are made as shown in Fig.1.3.
6. The above process is repeated.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS:

Fig: 1.1 Circuit diagram for V-I Characteristics of SCR

Fig: 1.2 Circuit diagram for Characteristics of TRIAC (Forward direction)

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Power Electronics and Drives Laboratory
 Fig: 1.3 Circuit diagram for Characteristics TRIAC (Reverse direction)

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Table 1.1 Static V-I Characteristics of SCR
S.NO. IG = mA IG = mA
VAK (V) VAK (V) VAK (V) ID ( mA )
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Table 1.2 Static V-I Characteristics of TRIAC

S.NO. IG = mA IG = mA
VAK (V) IA (A) VAK (V) IA (A)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Power Electronics and Drives Laboratory
MODEL GRAPHS:

Fig. 1.4: Static V-I Characteristics of SCR

RESULT:

POSTLAB QUESTIONS:
1. What is an SCR?
2. What are the features of SCR?
3. What is meant by static Characteristics?
4. What is the difference between the Static & Dynamic Characteristics?
5. Compare characteristics of SCR and TRIAC.

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Power Electronics and Drives Laboratory