COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

Department of Electronics Engineering

Bogate, May P.
Flores, Alfred G.
Name of Students:
Medina, Maui Lester
Sembrano, Ghabriel J.

Group No.: 2 Date Performed: 5 December 2024

Course Code: ELEN 3141 Date Submitted: 12 December 2024

Industrial
Course Title: Electronics Year: 3
(Laboratory)
Engr. Jefferson
Instructor: Grade:
Remudaro

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT NO. 7

I. OBJECTIVES
 To plot the characteristic of a TRIAC.

II. INTRODUCTION
TRIAC, from triode for alternating current, is a generalized trade name for an electronic
component that can conduct current in either direction when it is triggered (turned on) and is
formally called a bidirectional triode thyristor or bilateral triode thyristor. TRIACs are a
subset of thyristors and are closely related to silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR). However,
unlike SCRs, which are unidirectional devices (that is, they can conduct current only in one
direction), TRIACs are bidirectional and so allow current in either direction. Another
difference from SCRs is that TRIAC current can be enabled by either a positive or negative
current applied to its gate electrode, whereas SCRs can be triggered only by positive current
into the gate. To create a triggering current, a positive or negative voltage must be applied to
the gate with respect to the MT1 terminal (otherwise known as A1). Once triggered, the
device continues to conduct until the current drops below a certain threshold called the
holding current.
The directionality makes TRIACs very convenient switches for alternating-current (AC)
circuits, also allowing them to control very large power flows with milliampere-scale gate
currents. In addition, applying a trigger pulse at a controlled phase angle in an AC cycle
allows control of the percentage of current that flows through the TRIAC to the load (phase
control), which is commonly used, for example, in controlling the speed of low-power
induction motors, in dimming lamps, and in controlling AC heating resistors.

Figure 1. TRIAC Circuit

III. PROCEDURES
1. Mode 1
 Construct the circuit in Figure 1 as shown. Adjust the source voltage to 10V.
 Adjust the gate voltage to zero, and set the source voltage 2V to 10V
(increment by 2) and record the Triac current (MT1) and Triac voltage (MT1)
at table 1.
 Slowly increase the gate voltage, until the Triac turn ON. Record the reading
of V MT 1 , I triac , V S ∧I g in table 1.
 Now increase the value of V S in steps till 15V and record the reading of
V MT 1 ,∧I triac.
 Reduce the gate voltage to zero.
  Reduce the V S by steps and observe the ammeter reading of I triac until holding
current then record the reading at table 1.
2. Mode 2
 Repeat procedure A to G of mode 1
 Record the data at table 2
3. Mode 3
 Repeat procedure A to G of mode 1
 Record the data at table 3
4. Mode 4
 Repeat procedure A to G of mode 1
 Record the data at table 4

IV. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 1. Mode 1
V S (V ) I g ( mA ) V MT 1 (V ) I triac ( mA )
2 0.073 1.6 0.06
4 0.393 2 0.38
6 0.717 2.5 0.7
8 1.04 2.9 1.02
10 1.372 3.5 1.34
11 1.516 3.6 1.481
12 1.678 3.9 1.64
13 1.812 4.2 1.771
14 1.927 4.5 1.92
15 1.93 4.7 2.09

Table 2. Mode 2
V S (V ) I g ( mA ) V MT 1 (V ) I triac ( mA )
2 0 2 0
4 0 4 0
6 0 6 0
 8 0 8 0
10 0 10 0
11 1.68 2.7 1.69
12 1.77 2.76 1.88
13 1.95 2.88 2.06
14 1.99 3.13 2.22
15 2.06 3.72 2.41

Table 3. Mode 3

V S (V ) I g ( mA ) V MT 1 (V ) I triac ( mA )
2 -0.28 -0.6 -0.28
4 -0.56 -1.2 -0.57
6 -0.85 -1.79 -0.86
8 -1.2 -2.05 -1.21
10 -1.43 -2.94 -1.41
11 -1.58 -3.21 -1.51
12 -1.73 -3.43 -1.74
13 -1.86 -3.62 -1.92
14 -1.93 -3.75 -2.11
15 -1.94 -3.71 -2.31

Table 4. Mode 4

V S (V ) I g ( mA ) V MT 1 (V ) I triac ( mA )
2 0 -2 0
4 0 -4 0
6 0 -6 0
8 0 -8 0
10 0 -10 0
11 -1.33 -4.42 -1.35
12 -1.48 -4.67 -1.5
13 -1.63 -4.93 -1.66
14 -1.77 -5.19 -1.8
 15 -1.88 -5.44 -1.96
V. GRAPH

Table 1. Mode 1
V_MT1 I_g I_triac

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

VS

Table 2. Mode 2
V_MT1 I_g I_triac

12

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
VS
 Table 3. Mode 3
V_MT1 I_g I_triac

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2

-2.5

-3

-3.5

-4
VS

Table 4. Mode 4
V_MT1 I_g I_triac

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

-12
VS

VI. QUESTIONS
1. What is the operation of TRIAC?
 A TRIAC, or Triode for Alternating Current, is a semiconductor device that
can control current flow in both directions. It functions as a bidirectional
switch, capable of conducting current when its gate terminal is triggered.
TRIAC is widely used in AC power control applications, such as dimmers,
motor speed controllers, and heat regulators. When a small voltage is applied
to the gate terminal, it allows a larger current to pass between its two main
 terminals, MT1 and MT2, regardless of the polarity. This ability to control AC
power makes TRIAC a versatile and efficient component in many electronic
circuits.
2. When the supply is reversed, what will happen to TRIAC operation?
 When the supply voltage is reversed, the TRIAC continues to operate
effectively because of its bidirectional nature. It can conduct in both directions
once the gate is triggered, meaning it remains capable of controlling current
flow regardless of the supply voltage's polarity. This symmetrical operation
ensures that the TRIAC can handle the alternating nature of AC power,
making it ideal for controlling devices that operate on AC mains. Its consistent
performance in either direction is what makes the TRIAC particularly valuable
in a variety of applications where bidirectional control is required.

VII. ANALYSIS

A TRIAC is a semiconductor device that can control current flow in both directions. It has
four modes of operations, which are determined by the relationship between the gate and
TRIAC current and the voltage. In table 1, it describes the behavior of TRIAC in Mode 1
operation. As the source voltage increase from 2 V to 15 V, the current through the TRIAC,
gate and the VMT1 increases as well. Initially when the VMT1 is 1.6 V, the TRIAC current is
low, but the current increases significantly as the V MT1 rises. This demonstrates the TRIAC's
capacity to regulate higher current by showing that it transitions to higher conduction as the
source voltage rises. In table 2, it explains the Mode 2 operation of TRIAC, which typically
involves a negative gate current with a positive voltage across the main terminals. Based on
the data, from 2V to 10V the gate current and current at TRIAC is zero which means that the
TRIAC IS not triggered and is in the off state. However, when the source voltage reaches
11V, the gate current begins to rise as well as the current at the TRIAC, indicating that the is
now in the on state. At the V S is 11 V, the gate current is 1.68 mA, and the TRIAC current is
1.69mA. After that as the source voltage increases, the current at gate and TRIAC continues
to rise and reach 2.06 mA and 2.41 mA respectively. This shows that as the source voltage
increases, the more current is passing through the device and that the TRIAC is completely
conducting. In table 3, it describes the behavior of TRIAC in Mode 3, a negative gate current
is delivered to activate the TRIAC, which functions in the negative triggering quadrant. The
gate current (Ig) drops from 0.28 mA at 2 V to 1.94 mA at 15 V as the supply voltage rises
from 2 V to 15 V. The TRIAC current also follows this behavior, increasing in negative
magnitude from -0.28 mA at 2 V to -2.31 mA at 15 V. In table 4, it describes the behavior of
TRIAC in Mode 4 Based on the data, from 2V to 10V the gate current and current at TRIAC
is zero which means that the TRIAC IS not triggered and is in the off state. However, when
the source voltage reaches 11 V the TRIAC starts to conduct. In the case of the gate current at
-1.33 mA and TRIAC current -1.35 at 11 V, for instance, the TRIAC is now activated. Both
the gate current and the TRIAC current decrease to -1.88 mA and -1.96 mA as V S rises to 15
V.
Moreover, the provided graphs illustrate the behavior of a TRIAC under four different
operating modes. In Mode 1, as the supply voltage increases, Ig and the Itriac also increase
gradually. This indicates that the TRIAC is operating in the ON state, allowing current to
flow through. In Mode 2, Ig and Itriac is initially zero, and the V MT1 increases with VS.
However, when VS is at 11 V, the TRIAC triggers, causing a sharp increase in I g and Itriac and
decrease in VMT1. Mode 3 shows that the TRIAC is already activated when the source voltage
reaches 2 V. As the supply voltage continues to increase, the TRIAC conducts reverse current
through Ig and Itriac. In Mode 4, Ig and Itriac remains at zero, and the V MT1 decreases with
increasing supply voltage. However, at 11 V, the TRIAC is triggered, resulting in the increase
of VMT1 and reverse current flow.

VIII. CONCLUSION

The yielded values in the experiment illustrate the behavior of a TRIAC under four distinct
operating modes. In Mode 1, as the source voltage increases, both the gate current (I g) and
the TRIAC current (Itriac) increase gradually, indicating the TRIAC's transition from a low-
conduction state to a high-conduction state. Mode 2 demonstrates the TRIAC's behavior in
the negative triggering quadrant, where a negative gate current activates the device. As the
source voltage increases, the magnitude of the gate current and the TRIAC current also
increases. In Mode 3, the TRIAC is initially triggered at a low source voltage and remains in
the conducting state as the voltage further increases. In Mode 4, the TRIAC initially remains
off, but as the source voltage exceeds a certain threshold, it triggers and conducts current in
the reverse direction. Overall, the data highlights the TRIAC's versatility as a bidirectional
switching device, capable of operating in various modes depending on the applied gate signal
and source voltage.