Characteristics of Triac

Objective:
To study the characteristics of Triac (Triode for Alternating Current).

Procedure:
1. Make connections as per circuit diagram. Set the value of gate current. Increase the
main terminal 1 to main terminal 2 voltage in steps. Note the point at which triac just
start conducting as this value of voltage is forward break over voltage. Also Note down
the corresponding values of current and plot V-I graph.
2. Ensure that the Triac is in the state of conduction. Then Start reducing supply voltage in
steps of 2V; simultaneously check the state of Triac by switching off gate supply. If Triac
switches off just by removing gate terminal, and switches on by connecting gate supply,
then the corresponding current is the latching current (IL) for the Triac.
3. Ensure that the Triac is in the state of conduction. Switch off the gate supply
permanently. Start reducing supply voltage in steps of 2V; simultaneously check the
state of triac. If triac switches off. Note down the current just before it drops to zero,
which will be holding current.

Circuit Diagram:
Understanding of experiment:

A Triac behaves just like two conventional thyristors connected together in inverse parallel
(back-to-back) with respect to each other. Below breakover voltage Triac offers very high
resistance to the current and are in the off state, only a small leakage current exists from the
Main terminal 1 to the Main terminal 2 until the applied voltage reaches its breakover value
and starts conducting. In Quadrant Ι, the triac is usually triggered into conduction by a positive
gate current, But it can also be triggered by a negative gate current. Similarly, in Quadrant ΙΙΙ,
triggering with a negative gate current, –ΙG is also common. Modes Ι–and ΙΙΙ+ are, however, less
sensitive configurations requiring a greater gate current to cause triggering than the more
common triac triggering modes of Ι+ and ΙΙΙ–. Also, just like silicon controlled rectifiers (SCR’s),
triac’s also require a minimum holding current IH to maintain conduction at the waveforms
cross over point. Then even though the two thyristors are combined into one single triac
device, they still exhibit individual electrical characteristics such as different breakdown
voltages, holding currents and trigger voltage levels exactly the same as we would expect from
a single SCR device.

Observations and Calculations:

Mode1 (Positive gate current and positive supply voltage) :

Breakover voltage= 4.9 volts (at gate current= 1.5 mA)

Latching current= 3.69 mA

Holding Current= 2.6 mA

Before conduction voltage Across Traic = source voltage

After conduction voltage Across Traic = 0.75 V

Serial Source Current through Triac

No. voltage (mA)
1 0.5 0.068
2 1 0.33
3 1.5 0.09
4 2 0.24
5 2.5 0.55
6 3 0.86
7 3.5 1.27
8 4 2.04
9 4.5 2.87
 10 4.8 3.12
11 4.9 41.62
12 5 42.56
13 5.5 47.07
14 6 53.61
15 6.5 57.9
16 7 63.06

Mode2 (Negative gate current and negative supply voltage):

Breakover voltage= -3.4 volts (at gate current= -1.5 mA)

Latching current= -2.7 mA

Holding Current= -3.3 mA

Before conduction voltage Across Traic = source voltage

After conduction voltage Across Traic = -0.75 V

Serial Source Current through Triac

No. voltage (mA)
1 -1 -0.31
2 -1.5 -0.05
3 -2 -0.28
4 -2.5 -0.56
5 -2.7 -0.65
6 -2.8 -0.74
7 -2.9 -0.81
8 -3 -0.84
9 -3.2 -0.99
10 -3.3 -1.2
11 -3.4 -26.59

Mode3 (Negative gate current and positive supply voltage):

Breakover voltage= 1.6 volts (at gate current= -1.5 mA)

Latching current= 5.21 mA

Holding Current= -4.3 mA

Before conduction voltage Across Traic = source voltage

After conduction voltage Across Traic = 0.75 V
Mode 4 (Positive gate current and negative supply voltage):

Breakover voltage= -0.8 volts (at gate current= 1.5 mA)

Latching current= -3.61 mA

Holding Current= 2.6 mA

Before conduction voltage Across Traic = source voltage

After conduction voltage Across Traic = -0.75 V

Voltage-Current Characteristics:

Matlab code:

close all;
clear all;
clc;
%%
V=[-.7 -3.3 -3.2 -3 -2.9 -2.8 -2.7 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4.5 4.8 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7];
I=[-26.57 -1.2 -.99 -.84 -.81 -.74 -.65 -.56 -.28 -.05 -.31 .068 .33 .09 .24
.55 .86 1.27 2.04 2.87 3.12 41.62 42.56 47.01 53.61 57.9 63.06] ;
%%
plot(V,I);
xlabel('Voltage across Triac (Volts)');
ylabel('Current through Triac (mA)');
title('Triac Characteristics Curve');
 Triac Characteristics Curve
70

60

Current through Triac (mA) 50

40

30

20

10

-10

-20

-30
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
Voltage across Triac (Volts)

Conclusion:

The Triac is most commonly used semiconductor device for switching and power control of AC
systems as the triac can be switched “ON” by either a positive or negative Gate pulse, regardless
of the polarity of the AC supply at that time. This makes the triac ideal to control a lamp or AC
motor load with a very basic triac switching circuit. The Triac can be triggered into conduction
in either direction.