Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Goals & Objectives

Goal: This module is to provide a review/introduction to
electronics basics. The power supply is used to discuss
resistors, capacitors, diodes, and voltage regulators. The
power supply used in the MATE ROV Control System is
used as an example.
Objectives
Upon completion of this module, the student should be
able to:
1.Identify electronic components and describe their
purpose.
2.Describe the differences between Linear and Switching
power supplies
3.Select the proper resistors required for various power
supply output voltages.
4. Describe the purpose of power supply filter capacitors.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Concepts
Working with electronics, we need to constantly be
aware of the four important electrical concepts of
voltage, current, resistance and power.
Each of these determines the operation of an
electronic component in a circuit. Most devices have
ratings that must be followed.
Voltage Maximum applied voltage is critical in many
electronic components. Many data sheets will
specify Absolute Maximum Voltage. Above that
point, the manufacturer has determined that the
part will cease to function. Do not exceed this
voltage specification

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Concepts
Current Most devices have a maximum current
specification measured in amps or milliamps. Be sure
and read the device data sheet to determine under
what conditions this value is specified. Many
components have a minimum heat-sinking requirement
and are specified under a specific ambient temperature.

Resistance Many components have an internal resistance

that effects the operation. Batteries have and
effective internal resistance that limits the amount of
current a battery can supply. MOSFET transistors have
an ON resistance that determines the amount of power
that is dissipated (wasted) in the device.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Concepts
Power By paying attention to power
specifications and the power usage of
your electronic component, you can
prevent devices from being overloaded
and burnt up. Resistor power
specification is a common specification
that is overlooked. The formula P = I2R is
very important in determining power
dissipated in the device.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Concepts
Power Calculation Example:
A Resistor is 150 ohms and the current through the
resistor is 500 milliamps.
The power dissipated in the resistor is P = I 2R (from
ohms law)

P = 0.52 * 150 = 37.5 watts

This would require the selection of a resistor capable
of handling at least 37.5 watts
Use a design criteria of keeping the maximum value at
80% or less of the component rated value

RatedValue * 80% = Maximum_Value

(37.5 W is our

maximum value)

Now to select the proper resistor to use.

Rated Value = Maximum_Value / 0.8
Rated Value = 37.5 / 0.8 = 46.875 watts
This translates to a standard 50W resistor.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Concepts
Activity:
Access the Component Data Sheets to determine
the Absolute Maximum Input Voltage for the
SP7805 voltage regulator.
Compare that voltage to the Recommended
Operating Conditions input voltage.
What is the percentage difference between the
two values?
What are the dangers associated with using the
device above the Absolute Maximum voltage?

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
The following electronic components will be
discussed and their usage in ROV control
systems covered.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Resistors
Capacitors
Inductors
Diodes
LEDs
Voltage Regulators

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Symbols
Standard Symbols

Resistors

Diode

Battery
Fuse

Switch

Wiring
Junction

Ground
Inductor
Reference
Capacitors

LED

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Fuses & Circuit Breakers Why Do we need
them?

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Fuses?
Why are fuses important?
Watch Burning Electronics

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Fuse Symbols

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Fuses & Circuit Breakers
Fuse A fuse is an electronic device that will limit the
current in a circuit. These are devices that self-destruct
when its maximum value is reached. This self-destruction
prevents the downstream components from being
destroyed.

Typically, fuses should be selected for 125% of the maximum

current. This is another way of stating that the maximum
current should not exceed 80% of the fuse rating. All
fuses have a Time-Current curve which will show how
quickly a fuse will blow at various current levels.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Circuit Breaker and Auto-Reset Fuses Circuit
Breakers and Auto-Reset Fuses perform the same
function as fuses but are not usually destroyed in the
protection process. A circuit breaker is a spring loaded
device that when the current level reaches a set
amount, the heat generated inside the circuit breaker,
causes mechanical movement which releases the spring
tension and opens the circuit.
Auto-Reset Fuses are semiconductor devices that also heat
up and at the right level will open up. Upon cooling
down and removal of the input power, they will reset.

The selection calculations for these devices are similar to

those for fuses.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components

Additional Reading assignment:

Underwater Robotics, Section 7.2, Pages 421 425
Additional Links
http://www1.cooperbussmann.com/2/SPDTableofContents.h
tml
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/bus
smann/Electronics/Resources/Data%20Sheets/BUS_Elx_DS_2
051_S501_Series.pdf

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Resistor Resistors have many purposes in electronic
circuits. They are made out of material that can provide a
large amount of resistance to current flow in a very small
area. Resistors are rated in ohms, watts and in many
cases, maximum voltage.

Some uses for resistors include:

Voltage dividers to create a reference voltage.
Voltage Divider Additional Reading
Video about voltage dividers
An example of the voltage reference will be shown later in the
power supply.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
(Resistor Usages cont.)
Current monitoring Through the use of ohms law, it you
know the resistance value and can measure the voltage
across the circuit, you can do the math to calculate the
amount of current flowing through the resistor.
For instance, if you have a 0.1 ohm resistor and measure
3.5 volts across it, Ohms law dictates that there is 35
amps flowing through the resistor.
I = E/R
35A = 3.5V/0.1 Ohms

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
(Resistor Usages cont.)
Level setting many times electronics need to be
held to a certain level until the other circuitry is
ready to turn on and operate it. Resistors used
in these applications are called pull-up resistors
and pull-down resistors. They are high value
resistors that will hold an input to the required
level. An example of this is on the SeaMate
Control board. Each of the MOSFET inputs have
a pull down resistor to hold the MOSFET in the
OFF state until the Arduino starts operating.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
(Resistor Usages cont.)
Current Limiting If you were to connect a typical Light
Emitting Diode (LED) directly across 12 VDC, it would
immediately burn out. LEDs are current devices and
need the amount of current through them to be limited
below its maximum value. Resistors are placed in
series with each LED to limit the amount of current.

Example of a resistor with too much current flowing through

it.

Additional Study:

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Capacitor A capacitor is an energy storage device.
Capacitors are made from parallel non-touching plates.
Capacitors can almost instantaneously supply current to
the circuit until the power supply can recover and catch
up.
Capacitors are utilized
for very short bursts of
current and are limited in
what they can provide.
In the power supply,
capacitors are used to
filter the supply power
and provide smooth DC
power with as little
voltage ripple on it.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Capacitors are used in different values depending upon
their purpose and are rated in Farads (typically
microfarads).
Power supply filter capacitors over 1000uF are common.
Bypass capacitors installed at each integrated circuit
point of use are 0.01 to 0.1 uF and these are connected
as close as possible to each pin that utilizes power
supply current.
For motor drivers, approximately 100uF per amp of current
is recommended to absorb the recirculating currents of
the inductive motor loads.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Capacitors (cont.)
WARNING: Capacitors have a voltage rating that must not
be exceeded.
Polarized capacitors (those with marked polarity + or -)
must never be connected with reverse polarity.
Connecting a polarized capacitor to reverse polarity (+
to and to +) will cause the capacitor to explode and
catch fire.
In case you missed it the first time:
Watch Burning Electronics
Additional Capacitor Information

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Inductor Inductors are also energy storage devices.
These are typically coils of wire wound to create a
specific value of inductance. The coils shape, number of
turns, and length all determines the final inductance
value. Inductors are measured in Henries.

Inductor Video

Additional Information

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Diode A diode is a semiconductor device that
allows the current to flow in only one direction.
It is much like a one-way gate for electrons.
The plumbing device analogy is a check valve.
Diodes have a forward voltage drop that
depends upon the diode construction. A typical
voltage drop is 0.7 volts.
Diode Video

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
LED A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a special type
of diode that will give off light when current flows
through it. LEDs are current operated devices and
have a maximum current rating that must be
adhered to.
LEDs can be purchased in multiple colors and
various shades of white. Some LEDs have Red,
Green and Blue emitters all in the same package
that allow them to generate wide ranges of colors.
In electronic circuits small LEDs will have a small
current limiting resistor wired in series with it.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
MOSFET Transistor A Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field
Effect Transistor (MOSFET) are typically used as
electronic switches in ROV control systems. The NChannel MOSFET is the simplest to control and is the
most common found.
MOSFETS are three terminal devices. Two terminals are
the current in and current out pins, the third terminal is
the control pin.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
MOSFET Transistor
An N-Channel will turn OFF if the control pin (GATE) is
connected to zero volts and turn on if the GATE is
connected to 5 volts.
Microprocessor Control systems utilize MOSFETS to increase
the amount of current that the processor can turn on and
off.
MOSFETS are used to in the ROV to control the speed and
direction of the thrusters.
MOSFETS are also used in the ROV to operate items such as
lights, grippers, pumps, and actuators.
MOSFET Video

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
One part of a power supply is the Voltage Regulator. Its
purpose is to maintain the desired voltage over while the
current from the supply varies.
Keeping the voltage constant is the job of the Voltage
Regulator.
Voltage regulators are rated in
Input Voltage Range
Output Current
Output Voltage
Two types of voltage regulators are used in the ROV control
system.
1.
2.

Linear Voltage Regulator

Switching Voltage Regulator

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Linear Voltage Regulators These are typically three
terminal devices with an input pin, output pin and
ground or adjust pin.
They operate on the principal of throwing away what the
circuit does not need and dissipating that in heat.
These are one of the simplest voltage regulators to use
over a wide range of currents.
Most linear regulators are limited in the upper range of
their input voltage.
Linear regulators are used for milliamps to up to 5 to 10
amps max.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
LM7805 Circuit

LM7805 Video
LM317 Video

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Switching Voltage Regulators also known as Switch
Mode Power Supplies (SMPS). These regulators utilize
PWM switching and external energy storage devices
(typically an inductor) to create a wide range of output
voltages.
SMPS typically have a much wider range of input voltages.
SMPS are much more efficient to use than linear regulators
due to their design.
SMPS can be electrically noisy requiring attention to be paid
to filtering their output voltages.
The SMPS in the ROV controller can handle input voltages up
to 60Volts where the linear regulator is limited to 15Volts.

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
STORAGE
INDUCTOR

Switching Voltage Regulators

POWER
GOOD
LED

OUTPUT
VOLTAGE
SETTING
-VOLTAGE
DIVIDER

Regulator
Input

REVERSE
PROTECTION
DIODE

SCHOTTKY
CLAMPING
DIODE

OUTPUT
FILTER
CAPACITOR

Module 8 - Control Systems: Review of Electronics

Review of Electronics Electronic Components
Switching Voltage Regulators

R2

2k

R1

VOLTS

6130

12634

17512

12

24016

16

37024

24