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???
03/23/06 19:50
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#112902 - Remember Ohm's law?
Responding to: ???'s previous message
If you want to know the voltage across the switch at a known, fixed current, in your case, two different currents, then you have to have two current sources.

One way to build a simple current source is to consider what happens when you put a resistor to common (supply GND) in the emitter of an NPN transistor, the collector of which is connected to a positive supply. You'll see that the voltage at the emitter of the NPN is always Vbe below the base. From E=IR you can determine what the current in the emitter is based on the base voltage, since it's always Vbe below the base.

If you choose an appropriate voltage such that your power supply can provide the necessary current without "drooping," and you choose two resistors, one for the upper current, and one for the lower, and don't forget that they have to be capable of dissipating the power, then you can wire them into a switch, SPDT with center-off, with the common terminal to supply common, through the relay, the two resistors both connected to the emitter of the NPN, and the base of the NPN driven from a pot-controlled voltage regulator supplied with the same supply as your NPN's collector. Put a resistor in the base of the NPN to protect the base-emitter junction, and adjust the regulator such that the appropriate current flows through each resistor, when there's a direct connection across the terminals where the relay belongs, irrespective of the switch position. Now you can measure the voltage in the resistor, or the voltage across the relay, and either one will allow you to compute the contact resistance.

BTW, knowing the approximate contact resistance ahead of time may make it possible to choose resistors that allow you to make easy measurements. The resistance of the relay should be relatively small, though. If the emitter resistor is small, too, then the ratio will be easy to measure. If it's not, you may have to amplify the voltage difference between relay and short-circuit, which can introduce more error. If you think about it a while, you'll see what's important.

RE



List of 42 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
Measuring CR of Reed Switches.            01/01/70 00:00      
   Contact resistance?            01/01/70 00:00      
   Correction : Sorry its 10mV to 2500mV            01/01/70 00:00      
   Voltage or current, pick one            01/01/70 00:00      
      I can choose Test current as 10mA            01/01/70 00:00      
         typical constact resistance ?            01/01/70 00:00      
      yes, but            01/01/70 00:00      
         No CR when closed?            01/01/70 00:00      
            If this was possible, you would not need            01/01/70 00:00      
               current source with series resistor at            01/01/70 00:00      
                  Yes            01/01/70 00:00      
                  constant current source            01/01/70 00:00      
                  V=IR            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Specs & Description            01/01/70 00:00      
                  resistor ?            01/01/70 00:00      
                     Current source circuit for CR measuremen            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Why not using...            01/01/70 00:00      
                        Kind of            01/01/70 00:00      
                           And...            01/01/70 00:00      
                              7805 and get 10mA and 100mA            01/01/70 00:00      
                              reply - thermo-potentials            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 since you work for the manufacturer            01/01/70 00:00      
                                 Chopper            01/01/70 00:00      
                                    Chopper schematic            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Thanks very much Kai.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                       Reply : Chopper Schematic            01/01/70 00:00      
                                          Answers            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             what about a chopper stabilized op-amp?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Yur.            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Yes, but...            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             AC components , VCR, DCR            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Answers            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                   Demodulation?            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                      This would be the Lock-in scheme            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                   Average Value, VCR & DCR Calculation            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                      Quite simple            01/01/70 00:00      
                                             Analysis for Usig o/p            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                Answers            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                   I thank you very much Kai            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                      Test Condition: 10mA, 50mV            01/01/70 00:00      
                                                         Switching condition            01/01/70 00:00      
   Remember Ohm's law?            01/01/70 00:00      

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