Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

EEE 102: Electrical Circuits I Laboratory

Experiment (Simulation) # 03: Determination of Equivalent Resistance and Circuit

Analysis with Source and Resistance Sweeping.

Objectives: In this simulation lab, we shall learn

 How to determine equivalent resistance of a circuit.
 How to run independent source sweeps and plot the results.
 How to run resistance sweeps and plot the results.

Introduction: Various types of analysis such as dc sweep, ac sweep, transient, transfer

function, sensitivity, parametric etc. can be done by using PSpice. Variation of voltages
and currents in different nodes due to variation of any voltage, current, resistance or any
model parameter can be observed graphically by using dc sweep analysis.

Pre-lab: For the circuit shown in fig.1

1. Determine the equivalent resistance between terminals 5 and 0.
2. Determine the current through R5, voltages at node 3 and 5, if 10 ohm
resistance is connected between node 5 and 0.

Circuit diagram:
(3) R5

(5)
10 ohm

R1 R2 R4
5 ohm 5 ohm 20 ohm

(1) (2) (4)

+ 2 Vx
V1 10V 10 ohm
Vx I1 1A
R3 -

(0)

Fig.1

A. Equivalent Resistance
Procedure:
1. Place a 1A current source IL between terminals 5 and 0 and inactivate all the
independent sources (i.e. Set V1=0, I1=0) in fig.1, and then write down the
‘Schematic net list’ in Microsim Text Editor. Save the file.
2. Open the file in PSpiceAD. If simulate successfully, select ‘Examine
output’ option under the file menu of PSpiceAD. And find out the node
voltage of node 5 from ‘circuit description’. This voltage is the equivalent
resistance between terminals 5 and 0.
Is this equal to that you have calculated in Pre-lab.?
3. Place a 1A current source IL between terminals 5 and 0 and inactivate all the
independent sources (i.e. Set V1=0, I1=0) in fig.1, and then draw the circuit
diagram in Microsim Schematic window. Save the file.
4. Click Analysis Setup dialog box and select ‘Bias point detail’ button.
5. Simulate the schematic and Click the ‘Enable Bias voltage display’ icon from
the Microsim Schematic window.
6. Find out voltage of node 5 from schematic, which is the equivalent resistance
of the circuit.
Is this equal to that you have calculated in Pre-lab.?

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B. Source sweeping
Procedure:
1. Place a 10 ohm resistance RL between terminals 5 and 0 in fig.1, and then write
down the ‘Schematic net list’ in Microsim Text Editor.
2. Include the following in Microsim Text before .end

.DC LIN V1 0 20 1
.probe

which will sweep the source V1 from 0V to 20V in 1V increment. Save the file.
3. Open the file in PSpiceAD. If simulate successfully, select ‘Run Probe’ option
under the file menu of PSpiceAD.
4. X-axis of the probe window is V1.Click ‘Add Trace’ of thr Probe window and
select V (3), V (5) and I (R5). It will plot V (3) vs. V1, V (5) vs. V1 and I (R5) vs.
V1.
5. From the plot determine V (3), V (5) and I (R5) for V1=10 volts.
Are these values equal to that you have calculated in Pre-lab.?
6. Place a 10 ohm resistance RL between terminals 5 and 0 in fig.1, and then draw
the circuit diagram in Microsim Schematic window.
7. To give the node numbers in the schematic, double click in node 3 and Set
attributes value Level= 3 .Similarly use Level=5 for node 5. Save the file.
8. In the Analysis Setup dialog box, click the ‘DC Sweep’ button and select ‘Linear’
type and ‘Current source’ as a sweep variable. Write I1 as a sweep variable
‘Name’ with Start value = 0A, End value = 5A and Increment = 1A.
9. Simulate the schematic. If simulate successfully, Probe window will appear. X-axis of
the probe window is I1.Click ‘Add Trace’of Probe window and select V (3), V(5)
and I(R5). It will plot V(3) vs I1, V(5) vs I1 and I(R5) vs I1.
10. From the plot determine V(3), V(5) and I(R5) for I1=1 amp.
Are these values equal to that you have calculated in Pre-lab.?

C. Resistance sweeping
Procedure:
1. Write down the ‘Schematic net list’ in Microsim Text Editor of the circuit
shown in fig.1.
2. To include a variable resistance between terminals 5 and 0, include the following
text in Microsim Text before .end

RL 5 0 {R}; Make R variable

.param R=10; R has an arbritery value
.dc param R 1 20 1; R will sweep from 1 ohm to
; 20 ohm in 1 ohm increments
.probe

3. Save and Open the file in PSpiceAD. If simulate successfully, select ‘Run Probe’
option under the file menu of PSpiceAD.
4. X-axis of the probe window is R that means RL. Click ‘Add Trace’ of Probe
window and select V (3), V (5), I (R5). It will plot V (3) vs. R, V (5) vs. R and
I (R5) vs. R.
5. From the plot determine V (3), V (5) and I (R5) for R=10 ohm.
Are these values equal to that you have determined before?
6. Delete the previous plot and select V (5)*I (R5). It will plot Load power,
V (5)* I (R5) vs. R. Determine the value of R at which V (5)* I (R5) is maximum.
Is this equal to Equivalent resistance that you have determined before?
Mention the name of theorem that is verified by this plot?
7. Place a 10 ohm resistance RL in fig.1, and then draw the circuit diagram in
Microsim Schematic window. Save the file.
8. First, double-click the value label of the resistor, RL that is to be varied. This will
open a "Set Attribute Value" dialog box. Enter the name {RVAR} (including the
curly braces) in place of the component value. Choose "Get New Part" from the
menu and select the part named param.
9. Place the box anywhere on the schematic page. Now double-click on the word
PARAMETERS in the box title to bring up the parameter dialog box. Set the
NAME1= RVAR (no curly braces) and the VALUE1= 10 (any value) to the
nominal resistance value.

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10. In the Analysis Setup dialog box, click the ‘DC Sweep’ button and Select ‘Linear’ type
and ‘Global Parameter’ as a sweep variable. Type RVAR as a sweep variable
‘Name’ with Start value = 1, End value = 20 and Increment = 1.
11. Simulate the schematic and if simulate successfully Probe window will appear
12. X-axis of the probe window is R that means RL. Click ‘Add Trace’ of Probe
window and select V (3), V (5), I (R5). It will plot V (3) vs. R, V (5) vs. R and I
(R5) vs. R.
13. From the plot determine V (3), V (5) and I (R5) for R=10 ohm.
Are these values equal to that you have determined before?
14. Delete the previous plot and select V (5)*I (R5). It will plot Load power,
V (5)* I (R5) vs. R. Determine the value of R at which V (5)* I (R5) is maximum.
Is this equals to Equivalent resistance that you have determined before?

Exercise:

(1) Plot I vs V1 by sweeping V1 from 0 to 20 volts in 2 volts increment for the circuit
shown in Fig.2 by using Microsim Schematic window. Mention the name of law
that is verified by this plot?
I

V1 10 V R 1k

Fig.2

(2) For the circuit shown in fig.3

(a) Assuming Vs = 0 volts, sweep the value of I form 0A to 2A in 0.2 A
increment and plot Vo vs I by using Microsim Text editor.
(b)Suppose, current source I is open from the terminals a and b. Determine the
equivalent resistance between two terminals from the plot of (a).
(c) Suppose, current source I is replaced by a resistance. By using resistance
sweeping, determine the value of resistance at which it will receive maximum
power from the circuit. Also determine the maximum power.
3Vx

+ -
Ix
a
+
Vs 100V R4
R2 4 ohm
5 ohm I
5A I Vo
+ Vx - usin
g-
R1 1 ohm R3
R5 resis
b
5 ohm
tanc
0 4.8 ohm e
4Ix swe
Fig.3 eing
o