SCR crowbar circuit | SCR crowbar overvoltage circuit
This page covers SCR crowbar overvoltage circuit. The page describes working operation of SCR crowbar circuit.
SCR is a three terminal device with its terminals marked as anade, cathode and gate. Refer SCR triggering which describes operation of SCR in forward biased state and reverse biased state.
We already know that overvoltage protection is one of the essential feature of power supply design. This is because power supply is used to deliver power to very sensitive electronic, digital and microwave components.
The circuit shown below is very useful to protect digital circuit comprising of TTL logic devices. TTL circuits require about +5V for its operation. Any voltage much beyond this voltage can damage the circuit and its components. This will result into malfunctioning or fault in the main system where this TTL components have been used. This will result into wastage of both time and money as efforts are required to replace the faulty system with the healthy system.
SCR crowbar overvoltage protection circuit mentioned below will help overcome this situation.
Operational working of SCR crowbar circuit
• As shown in the figure SCR crowbar circuit consists of zener diode, resistor and SCR.
• Current will flow through the resistor, when the output voltage due to some reasons exceeds
breakdown voltage of the SCR.
• This flow of current will produce enough voltage in order to trigger the SCR.
• When SCR enters into ON state, it will result into short circuit and hence
protects the load circuit.
• This short circuit remains as it is unless power supply is switched OFF and
consecutively provided reset to it. Also refer Difference between SCR, DIAC, TRIAC, UJT >>.
Electronic Components Related Links
Variable capacitor
Variable resistor
Transformer basics and types
Ohm law
BJT vs FET
Diac vs Triac
JUGFET vs MOSFET
Analog vs Digital Multimeter
LED vs Laser
Microphone basics and types
Resistor basics
Electrolytic capacitor
Capacitor basics
Inductor basics
Transducer
Thermistor
Relay
Reed Switch
Photo Diode vs Photo Transistor
Battery
SCR or thyristor
Op-Amp
Halfwave rectifier vs Fullwave rectifier