SCR Phase Control Dimmer Schematic

Bill of Materials

Bill of Materials File

SCR Phase Control Dimmer BOM .xls

The ideal triggering device

The DIAC is a 28V bidirectional (bilateral) trigger device that is used on virtually all
inexpensive phase controls. The trigger voltage is somewhat high for phase control
of 115VAC. Years ago, there was a similar low voltage (6 to 8V) trigger device
called a Shockley diode. Unfortunately, these never caught on and today are
EXTINCT.

The 2N6027 Programmable Unijunction Transistor (PUT) can perform a similar

function, but is polarity sensitive so it does not lend itself to TRIAC control.
However, if two such PUT trigger circuits are employed for anti-parallel SCRs, some
interesting things are apparent. Most important is the ability to control both trigger
circuits with a single potentiometer so that both half-cycles are controlled
identically. To obtain best balance, the zeners and capacitors must be matched.
Both zeners and capacitors are specified for a tolerance of 5%, but I selected mine
for better than 1% with my DMM. Purchase a few additional components so that
you may obtain a good match.

PUT operation is simple. Its threshold voltage is programmable so that it can trigger
at low voltages. In this circuit it is set via the 12V zeners. When the PUT anode
voltage exceeds the gate voltage by one junction drop, the PUT fires and dumps the
timing capacitor into the SCR gate circuit. It resets when the AC line voltage
reverses.

I made a PUT relaxation oscillator flasher circuit that you may wish to experiment
with:http://www.electroschematics.com/6904/programmable-unijunction-
transistor-put-flasher-circuit/

Snap-on

The typical DIAC controlled TRIAC dimmer tends to “snap-on” at the minimum
voltage when the adjustment is slowly increased. After snap-on, the voltage may be
reduced if desired. The “snap-on” phenomenon is caused by the lagging phase
relationship of the AC voltage signal that appears across the timing capacitor before
the DIAC threshold is reached. After it initially fires, the timing starts at line voltage
zero crossing.

The timing circuit in this control completely avoids this problem by resetting the
capacitor voltage each half-cycle via reverse diodes across the two timing
capacitors.

Advantages of SCRs over TRIACs

Thermally, there are numerous advantages. Splitting the output current in half
reduces the device current significantly and provides a much lower thermal
resistance to the ambient. Also, SCRs are rated for a maximum Tj of 125°, while
TRIACs may be limited to only 110°C. Then, of course, SCRs are available in
current ratings extending to hundreds of amps — well over ten times that of the
largest TRIACs. SCRs are simply more rugged.

Its only disadvantage is obvious: it simply takes more hardware and circuitry.

The snubber

R1 & C3 form a snubber that is connected across the power devices. It performs
two important functions as follows:

First it provides a circuit to absorb reactive energy when either SCR recovers (stops
conducting current). As you may know, a rectifier conducts current in the reverse
direction for a short period of time (e.g. 5µS) when it becomes reversed biased.
The flow of this current stops abruptly and any series circuit inductance then causes
the generation of a transient voltage (spike). The snubber is a place for this current
to go so it cannot develop a high voltage.

Second, it provides a resistive load for high frequency line noise and transients.
Such noise or transients can potentially cause an SCR to turn on for a half-cycle.
One common source of transients is simply the power switch when it closes.

Film resistors are not robust in handling voltage transients so I specified a ceramic
composition resistor. Polyester capacitors have poor reliability at 230VAC, so I
specified a polypropylene capacitor that is AC rated. In my circuit, I used a
Quencharc device that contains both resistor and capacitor — it is AC rated for
125VAC.

Oscillographs
The load voltage is easy to see here as it increases in phase. The base line is rather
indistinct due to the low power load used (7.5W lamp) — the snubber reactance
causes significant voltage drop across the lamp.

The gate current indicates a peak current of about 200mA and a time constant of
about 32µS — essentially 47Ω * 0.68µf. The leading edge spike is caused by the
inductance of the 1Ω shunt resistor used. This can easily drive a much larger SCR
— the first one I made used a 90A thyristor doubler. The minimum gate current
pulse width rule of thumb is 5µS in which the gate current exceeds Igt (gate
current threshold) — this allows sufficient time for the load current to ramp up to
the SCR holding current.

The gate voltage has a different appearance than the output of the programmable
unijunction for two reasons: First, the gate is a non-linear resistance that tends to
act like 2 or 3 series diodes. Secondly, when the SCR is conducting, junction
voltage appears on this terminal as well.

SCR Phase Control Project Photos

Note the absence of the isolation transformer — it is located under the bench.

For the future

AC Switch Circuit — turn this into an AC switch via a photomod

SCR Phase Control Dimmer Schematic

Bill of Materials

Bill of Materials File

SCR Phase Control Dimmer BOM .xls

The ideal triggering device

The DIAC is a 28V bidirectional (bilateral) trigger device that is used on virtually all
inexpensive phase controls. The trigger voltage is somewhat high for phase control
of 115VAC. Years ago, there was a similar low voltage (6 to 8V) trigger device
called a Shockley diode. Unfortunately, these never caught on and today are
EXTINCT.

The 2N6027 Programmable Unijunction Transistor (PUT) can perform a similar

function, but is polarity sensitive so it does not lend itself to TRIAC control.
However, if two such PUT trigger circuits are employed for anti-parallel SCRs, some
interesting things are apparent. Most important is the ability to control both trigger
circuits with a single potentiometer so that both half-cycles are controlled
identically. To obtain best balance, the zeners and capacitors must be matched.
Both zeners and capacitors are specified for a tolerance of 5%, but I selected mine
for better than 1% with my DMM. Purchase a few additional components so that
you may obtain a good match.

PUT operation is simple. Its threshold voltage is programmable so that it can trigger
at low voltages. In this circuit it is set via the 12V zeners. When the PUT anode
voltage exceeds the gate voltage by one junction drop, the PUT fires and dumps the
timing capacitor into the SCR gate circuit. It resets when the AC line voltage
reverses.

I made a PUT relaxation oscillator flasher circuit that you may wish to experiment
with:http://www.electroschematics.com/6904/programmable-unijunction-
transistor-put-flasher-circuit/

Snap-on

The typical DIAC controlled TRIAC dimmer tends to “snap-on” at the minimum
voltage when the adjustment is slowly increased. After snap-on, the voltage may be
reduced if desired. The “snap-on” phenomenon is caused by the lagging phase
relationship of the AC voltage signal that appears across the timing capacitor before
the DIAC threshold is reached. After it initially fires, the timing starts at line voltage
zero crossing.

The timing circuit in this control completely avoids this problem by resetting the
capacitor voltage each half-cycle via reverse diodes across the two timing
capacitors.
Advantages of SCRs over TRIACs

Thermally, there are numerous advantages. Splitting the output current in half
reduces the device current significantly and provides a much lower thermal
resistance to the ambient. Also, SCRs are rated for a maximum Tj of 125°, while
TRIACs may be limited to only 110°C. Then, of course, SCRs are available in
current ratings extending to hundreds of amps — well over ten times that of the
largest TRIACs. SCRs are simply more rugged.

Its only disadvantage is obvious: it simply takes more hardware and circuitry.

The snubber

R1 & C3 form a snubber that is connected across the power devices. It performs
two important functions as follows:

First it provides a circuit to absorb reactive energy when either SCR recovers (stops
conducting current). As you may know, a rectifier conducts current in the reverse
direction for a short period of time (e.g. 5µS) when it becomes reversed biased.
The flow of this current stops abruptly and any series circuit inductance then causes
the generation of a transient voltage (spike). The snubber is a place for this current
to go so it cannot develop a high voltage.

Second, it provides a resistive load for high frequency line noise and transients.
Such noise or transients can potentially cause an SCR to turn on for a half-cycle.
One common source of transients is simply the power switch when it closes.

Film resistors are not robust in handling voltage transients so I specified a ceramic
composition resistor. Polyester capacitors have poor reliability at 230VAC, so I
specified a polypropylene capacitor that is AC rated. In my circuit, I used a
Quencharc device that contains both resistor and capacitor — it is AC rated for
125VAC.

Oscillographs
The load voltage is easy to see here as it increases in phase. The base line is rather
indistinct due to the low power load used (7.5W lamp) — the snubber reactance
causes significant voltage drop across the lamp.

The gate current indicates a peak current of about 200mA and a time constant of
about 32µS — essentially 47Ω * 0.68µf. The leading edge spike is caused by the
inductance of the 1Ω shunt resistor used. This can easily drive a much larger SCR
— the first one I made used a 90A thyristor doubler. The minimum gate current
pulse width rule of thumb is 5µS in which the gate current exceeds Igt (gate
current threshold) — this allows sufficient time for the load current to ramp up to
the SCR holding current.

The gate voltage has a different appearance than the output of the programmable
unijunction for two reasons: First, the gate is a non-linear resistance that tends to
act like 2 or 3 series diodes. Secondly, when the SCR is conducting, junction
voltage appears on this terminal as well.

SCR Phase Control Project Photos

Note the absence of the isolation transformer — it is located under the bench.

For the future

AC Switch Circuit — turn this into an AC switch via a photomod