Lecture #6

ANNOUNCEMENT
• Check the Master Schedule posted online for
updated information on TA sections & office hours
OUTLINE
• The Wheatstone bridge circuit
• Delta-to-Wye equivalent circuits
• Node-voltage circuit analysis method
Reading
Finish Chapter 3, Chapter 4.1-4.2

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 1 Prof. King

The Wheatstone Bridge

• Circuit used to precisely measure resistances in
the range from 1 Ω to 1 MΩ, with ±0.1% accuracy
ƒ R1 and R2 are resistors with known values
ƒ R3 is a variable resistor (typically 1 to 11,000Ω)
ƒ Rx is the resistor whose value is to be measured

battery R1 R2
+
V
current detector
–
R3 Rx
variable resistor

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 2 Prof. King

1
 Finding the value of Rx
• Adjust R3 until there is no current in the detector
R2
Then, Rx = R3
R1 Derivation:

KCL => i1 = i3 and i2 = ix

R1 R2 KVL => i3R3 = ixRx and i1R1 = i2R2

i1 i2
+
V i3 ix i1R3 = i2Rx
–
R3 Rx
R3 Rx
Typically, R2 / R1 can be varied
=
R1 R2
from 0.001 to 1000 in decimal steps
EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 3 Prof. King

Delta (Pi) and Wye (Tee) Interconnections

Delta Pi
Rc Rc
a b
a b

Rb Ra Rb Ra

c
c
a Wye b Tee

R1 R2 a b
R1 R2

R3
R3

c c
EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 4 Prof. King

2
 Delta-to-Wye (Pi-to-Tee) Equivalent Circuits
• In order for the Delta interconnection to be equivalent
to the Wye interconnection, the resistance between
corresponding terminal pairs must be the same
Rc
a b
Rc (Ra + Rb)
Rab = = R1 + R2
Rb Ra
Ra + Rb + Rc

a c Ra (Rb + Rc)
b Rbc = = R2 + R3
Ra + Rb + Rc
R1 R2

Rb (Ra + Rc)
R3 Rca = = R1 + R3
Ra + Rb + Rc
c
EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 5 Prof. King

∆-Y and Y-∆ Conversion Formulas

Delta-to-Wye conversion Wye-to-Delta conversion

Rc
RbRc a b R1R2 + R2R3 + R3R1
R1 = Ra =
Ra + Rb + Rc Rb Ra
R1

RaRc c
R1R2 + R2R3 + R3R1
R2 = Rb =
Ra + Rb + Rc R2
a b
RaRb R1R2 + R2R3 + R3R1
R3 = R1 R2
Rc =
Ra + Rb + Rc R3
R3

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 6 Prof. King

3
 Resistive Circuits: Summary
• Equivalent resistance of k resistors in series:
k
Req = Σ Ri = R1 + R2 + ••• + Rk
i=1

• Equivalent resistance of k resistors in parallel:

1 k 1 1 1 1
=Σ = + + ••• +
Req i=1 Ri R1 R2 Rk
• Voltage divided between 2 series resistors: I +
R1 v1
R1 vs + –
v1 = v −

R1 + R2 s R2

• Current divided between 2 parallel resistors:

R2 i1 i2

i1 = is i S R1 R2

R1 + R2
EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 7 Prof. King

Node-Voltage Circuit Analysis Method

1. Choose a reference node (“ground”)
Look for the one with the most connections!

2. Define unknown node voltages

those which are not fixed by voltage sources

3. Write KCL at each unknown node, expressing

current in terms of the node voltages (using the
I-V relationships of branch elements)
Special cases: floating voltage sources

4. Solve the set of independent equations

N equations for N unknown node voltages

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 8 Prof. King

4
 Nodal Analysis: Example #1
R1 R
3

+
- V1 R2 R4 IS

1. Choose a reference node.

2. Define the node voltages (except reference node and
the one set by the voltage source).

3. Apply KCL at the nodes with unknown voltage.

4. Solve for unknown node voltages.

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 9 Prof. King

Nodal Analysis: Example #2

R1
Va R5

R3 I1
V R2 R4 V2
1

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 10 Prof. King

5
Nodal Analysis w/ “Floating Voltage Source”
A “floating” voltage source is one for which neither side is
connected to the reference node, e.g. VLL in the circuit below:
Va VLL Vb
- +

I1 R2 R4 I2

Problem: We cannot write KCL at nodes a or b because

there is no way to express the current through the voltage
source in terms of Va-Vb.
Solution: Define a “supernode” – that chunk of the circuit
containing nodes a and b. Express KCL for this supernode.
EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 11 Prof. King

Nodal Analysis: Example #3

supernode

Va VLL Vb
- +

I1 R2 R4 I2

Eq’n 1: KCL at supernode

Eq’n 2: Property of voltage source:

EECS40, Fall 2003 Lecture 6, Slide 12 Prof. King