Paulo Renato F.

Ferreira, PY3PR
Av. Neusa Goultart Brizola, 555 apt 906, Porto Alegre, RS 90460-230, Brazil: [email protected]

Improve Performance of Your

Octopus V/I Curve Tracer Using
a Single Voltage Transformer
Perform in-circuit trouble shooting with this improved tester
that provides selectable higher scanning voltages for testing.

Many hams enjoy experimenting with the secondary was out of question for indicate a potential problem. There are
electronics and troubleshooting circuits. me, I designed a simpler solution keeping four fundamental components signatures:
However, it is frustrating when we have my previous single-voltage secondary resistive, capacitive, inductive and semi-
no access to schematics or component transformer by using multiple voltage conductive. Recognizing and interpreting
identification, or when we need to remove dividers and current limiters. My Octopus these four basic signatures is crucial to
the suspicious components from the board to had its range improved at an insignificant successful Octopus utilization.
check them individually. We might even finish cost, and I got my junk box organized! In-circuit tests are generally possible in
by damaging the component or the board many cases. However, complex Lissajous
itself, or we might even get false readings with Octopus Basics figures from resistors, capacitors and
the multimeter, depending on the component. A curve tracer is a test equipment added inductors connected to semiconductors can
Fortunately, a simple and efficient way to to an oscilloscope — either digital or analog also be produced. In this case, we disconnect
overcome these problems has been around — that provides a graphical display of the one terminal of the device under test (DUT)
for decades. It consists in an electronic device V/I characteristic of an electronic component. from the circuit. Once we are familiarized
connected to an oscilloscope. It has a number It can be used to quickly check resistors, with Octopus operation, we can create a file
of designations, such as V/I (voltage/current) capacitors, inductors, semiconductors — of the measured Lissajous patterns of both
curve tracer, analog signature analyzer, both diodes and transistors — and, under normal isolated and in-circuit components
component tester, oscilloscope test adapter, some circumstances, integrated circuits. for future comparisons.
or simply “Octopus”. I constructed a basic The oscilloscope must have X-Y mode Please keep in mind, the components,
Octopus after reading an article published by capability, which allows one channel to drive as well as the board itself must not be
David Ludlow, W7QHX, in QST.1 My device the horizontal amplifier (the X-channel), connected to the ac mains line or to a battery.
nicely accomplished the job with its single while the other (Y-channel) drives the vertical No signal inputs are recommended. Remove
output of 1 V limited to 1 mA. As noted by amplifier. The X-channel measures voltage, all unnecessary cables from the equipment
David, the voltage and current are low enough while the Y-channel measures current. This under test and disconnect any other line or
for safe testing of almost any semiconductor V/I testing permits an on-screen plot of I electrical source.
circuit board assembly. versus V. The device has a precise limited A in-depth discussion of V/I testing and
Recently I needed to check some current applied to appropriate points on the signature analysis is beyond the scope of
unidentified Zener diodes and also a device under test using common multimeter this article, but very good overviews are
suspicious integrated circuit (IC) from red and black leads. The measured voltage available.2, 3 Descriptions of oscilloscope X-Y
my junk box, and required more optional drop, current flow, and phase shift are modes may be found in ARRL publications.4, 5
voltages to trace possibly higher Zener plotted as the current versus voltage on
voltages and IC junctions. After surveying the oscilloscope. The observed signatures, Assembly and Settings
the available literature, I found Octopus called Lissajous patterns, of known- This Octopus V/I curve tracer supports
circuits using transformers with multi-tap good components or printed-circuit boards three output voltages: 1 V ac, 5 V ac, and
voltages in the secondary. Because these are compared with those of a suspect 10 V ac, each at about 1 mA. Figure 1 shows
transformers are hard to find, and re-winding one. Unusual or unexpected signatures the circuit schematic diagram. Figure 2 shows

16 QEX May/June 2017

 R3
Vertical Y Axis
CH1A
R4
R7 Oscilloscope Ground

F1 C1
D1 D2
R5 CH1B
R8
R1 R6 Red Lead
R9
Black Lead
120 12 R2
VAC VAC

Horizontal X Axis

Oscilloscope Ground
QX1705-Ferreira01

Figure 1 — Schematic diagram of the improved Octopus.

C1 — 470 nF, 400 V, ceramic capacitor R3, R8, R9 — 10 kW variable resistor (trim R11 — 50 W ¼ W film resistor, or an
CH1 — Rotary switch, 2 poles, 3 positions  pots)   approximate value
D1 — 1N4004 silicon diode or similar R4, R5 — 2.2 kW variable resistors (trim pots) T1 — 120 V ac primary, 12 V ac secondary,
D2 — Red LED R6 — 220 W ¼ W film resistor   500 mA transformer
F1 — 1 A fuse and support R7 — 100 W variable resistor (trim pot) Various mechanical components, cables,
R1 — 1 kW ¼ W film resistor R10 — 1 W ¼ W film resistor, or an   and housing according to builder’s
R2 — 1 MW ¼ W film resistor approximate value  preference.

a suggested PC board layout parts placement

for the trimmer resistors, and Figure 3 shows
a suggested component placement on the PC
board that connects to the transformer and
the ac mains. Neither of the PCB layouts nor
the placement of components is especially
critical. The components are commonly
available and other component values may be
substituted depending on your needs.
You will also need a multimeter
with millivolts ac capability (or use the
oscilloscope), a 20-30 W soldering iron, a
drill for making the PC board holes, and
various hand tools.
I started by assembling a rigid support for
the 120 V ac input in a plastic box. I made a
small circuit board, Figure 3, which was fixed
to the bottom of the plastic housing using
small screws and plastic separators. The board
contains the connections to the LED red pilot,
D2, and the wires of the transformer.
The switch CH1 must have at least 2 poles,
A and B, and 3 positions (1 V, 5 V, 10 V)
for a total of 6 taps connected to each of the
6 trimmer resistors. With your multimeter,
identify and note which taps connect with
the switch poles CH1A and CH1B in each
one of the three positions. For practical
purposes, I call CH1A the pole connected to
voltage dividers (pole A) and CH1B, the pole
connected to current limiters (pole B). Don’t
solder any wire to CH1 just yet.
Setting the voltage ranges
Solder the components on both PC boards
and, then solder the 12 V ac wires into the
Octopus board input. Don’t connect any
more wires at this time. Now, set the intended Figure 2 — Main PC board suggested layout.

QEX May/June 2017 17

output voltages following these steps.
(1) – Check to make sure that you have
12 V ac at the Octopus input. If so, solder a
temporary jumper between CH1A and R3.
(2) – Set the variable resistor R3 for 1 V
ac between the red and black lead outputs on
the PC board. Then disconnect the temporary
jumper from R3.
(3) – Connect the jumper from CH1A to
R4. Set R4 for 5 V ac. Then disconnect the
temporary jumper from R4.
(4) – Connect the jumper from CH1A to
R5. Set R5 for 10 V ac. Then disconnect the
jumper from R5 and keep it to CH1A.
Setting the current limits
Temporarily, make a sub-circuit shown in
the dashed outline in Figure 4. On the PC board
solder R10 to the red lead connection point Figure 3 — Smaller PC board suggested layout.
and solder R11 in the black lead connection
point. R11 will serve as a 50 W load for ac
current readings. Set your multimeter to the
millivolts ac scale, or use your oscilloscope for
R9
the measurement. Make sure the instrument Black Lead
is in parallel with R10. Since R10 is 1 W,
then a voltage of 1 mV you read across R10
corresponds to a current of 1 mA. 12 VAC
(5) – Connect a jumper from CH1A to Horizontal
X Axis
R3, and another jumper from CH1B to R7.
Oscilloscope
Set R7 for approximately 1 mA (1 mV meter Ground
reading). When done, disconnect the jumpers
from R3 and R7.
(6) – Connect the jumpers from
mV
CH1A to R4 and CH2B to R8. Set R8 for AC
R10
approximately 1 mA calculated through R10
(1 mV meter reading). Then disconnect the
jumpers from R4 and R8.
(7) – Connect the jumpers from CH1A to R11
R5 and CH2B to R9. Set R9 for approximately
1 mA calculated through R10 (1 mV meter
reading). When done, disconnect these QX1705-Ferreira04
jumpers and the sub-circuit shown in dashed
line of Figure 4.
Figure 4 — Temporary sub circuit designed for setting the Octopus output ac current limits.

Figure 5 — Internal view of the assembled Octopus. Figure 6 — Front view of the assembled Octopus.

18 QEX May/June 2017

Figure 7A — I-V pattern for a 7 V Zener diode with a 1 V sweep. Figure 7D — I-V pattern for a healthy IC using a 1 V sweep.

Figure 7E — I-V pattern for a damaged IC using a 1 V sweep.

Figure 7B — I-V pattern for a 7 V Zener diode with a 5 V sweep.

Figure 7F — I-V pattern for a damaged IC using a 5 V sweep

Figure 7C — I-V pattern for a 7 V Zener diode with a 10 V sweep. reveals a distorted response.

QEX May/June 2017 19

 Final Assembly of a 555 IC is shown for a known good IC licensed in 1979 at age 22 and now holds an
Once you have finished your PC board (Figure 7D) and a damaged IC (Figure 7E), Amateur A class license. Paulo has written
and set all the voltage and current limits, but not much difference is evident. However, technical contributions for QST, QSP (a
solder the connections from the CH1 poles distortion is evident in Figure 7F on a 5 V Portuguese publication), Eletronica-Popular
to the respective sites on the PC board using sweep of the damaged IC (a ceased Brazilian publication) and some web
different color wires. In position 1 (1 V Now that you have your Octopus working, pages. His main radio interests are low-band
selection), CH1A connects to R3 and CH1B, be sure to consider component voltage DX, experimenting with homebrew antennas,
to R7. In position 2 (5 V selection), CH1A and current limitations before exposing analog electronics, CW rag-chewing and CW
connects to R4 and CH1B to R8. In position components to different voltage values. contests. He also enjoys bicycling and seashore
3 (10 V selection), CH1A connects to R5 fishing in Xangri-lá, RS, where he also has his
and CH1B to R9. Install everything into the In Conclusion Amateur Radio station.
plastic housing, as seen in Figure 5. The Octopus curve tracer is one of several
Install the BNC connectors, and prepare ways available to test electronic components. Notes
two coaxial cables for connection to the The device described here is a simple
oscilloscope. Figure 6 shows the front panel
1
D. Ludlow, W7QHX, “The Octopus”, QST Jan
alternative to get three different voltage 1975, pp 40-42.
of the fully assembled Octopus. ranges using a single secondary output 2
A. Lowne, “An analog signature analysis
transformer. Don’t forget to disconnect the ac primer”, www.electronicproducts.com/
Beyond 1 V mains line or battery of the board under test, Test_and_Measurement/Benchtop_
Rack_Mountable/An_analog_signa-
Set your oscilloscope to the X-Y mode and and don’t overlook component voltage and ture_analysis_primer.aspx.
connect it to the Octopus. Set the Octopus current tolerances and limitations. With some 3
Huntron, Inc. “Fundamentals of Signature
to the 1 V position. Connect a 7 V Zener practice, experience, and research you will Analysis. An In-depth Overview of Power-off
diode for testing. Try increasing the voltages be able to correctly interpret the measured Testing Using Analog Signature Analysis”,
from 1 to 5 and 10 V ac positions by rotating www.huntron.com/corporate/docs/ASA-
Lissajous patterns. paper-extract.pdf.
CH1 and observe how the I-V curves vary. 4
The ARRL Handbook Book, 2017 Edition.
Figure 7A shows the I-V response for the Acknowledgment ARRL item no. 0635 (hardcover) or 0628
7 V Zener diode with a 1 V sweep limited I thank electronic engineer Rene (soft cover), available from your ARRL
to 1 mA current. Figure 7B shows a sweep dealer, or from the ARRL Store, Telephone
Stelmach, formerly PY3CDW, for his toll-free in the US 888-277-5289, or 860-
using 5 V ac limited to 1 mA, and Figure 7C comments and suggestions. 594-0355, fax 860-594-0303; www.arrl.org/
shows a 10 V ac sweep with a 1 mA limit, shop/; [email protected].
which reveals the full performance of the Paulo Renato F. Ferreira, PY3PR, is a
5
Oscilloscopes for Radio Amateurs, Available
diode. Clearly, the 7 V Zener diode cannot be radiation oncologist in Porto Alegre, RS, from your ARRL dealer or the ARRL
properly evaluated using just the 1 V sweep. Bookstore, ARRL item no. 0976. Telephone
Brazil. He earned the MD and PhD degrees 860-594-0355, or toll-free in the US 888-
A 1 V sweep of pin 5 referenced to ground in Medicine. An ARRL member, he was first 277-5289; www.arrl.org/shop; pubsales@
arrl.org.

20 QEX May/June 2017