• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Homemade Circuit Projects

Get free circuit help 24/7

Circuits for Beginners | Basic Circuits | LED Driver | Hobby Circuits | Transistor Circuits

New-Projects | Privacy Policy | About us | Contact | Disclaimer | Copyright

Home » Electronics Tutorial » Transistor Stray pickup False Triggering Problem

Transistor Stray pickup False Triggering Problem

Last Updated on March 19, 2019 by Swagatam 2 Comments

The article explains how to make any BJT or mosfet based circuit free from stray signal pickup and false triggering by simply attaching a filter resistor or a capacitor across their base/emitter or gate/source terminals. The problem was raised by Mr.Henrik.

Solving a Circuit Problem

I have an issue I don’t understand. please check out the following diagram.

If I connect the Base of a PNP transistor through a 10K resistor to ground the LED lite up. If I disconnect the Base from ground the LED light up weakly. I would have expected the LED to be completely off.Can you explain me why this is the case. I have tried with other transistors also.
If I use a NPN transistor to switch a PNP transistor (Darlington) do I need a resistor from the Base of the PNP to Collector of the NPN transistor?
Thank you,Henrik

 The Reason behind the Fault:

The mentioned problem of false transistor triggering while its base was unconnected to a triggering source may be due to stray signal pickup by the transistor base causing the slight illumination on the LED.

Because as we know that when a small current flows through base emitter of a BJT, forces a relatively more stronger current to pass through collector/emitter of the device. Here too the stray signal at the base of the BJT could be forcing the device to trigger albeit fractionally, but enough to cause a faint illumination on the LED.

The Solution:

The problem could be easily remedied by adding a compensating resistor across the base emitter of the BJT, the value could be anything which allows a 1V across the base emitter when the actual trigger is connected with the base. This value could be evaluated using a resistor potential divider network calculation.

Or simply a matching value resistor could be included similar to the existing base resistor value, as done below.

Another simple way to eliminate stray pick up while its base was not associated with any form of input logic or trigger is to add a small value capacitor across its base and emitter, which would help the BJT to effectively ground any possible stray input signal and prevent it from causing the device to conduct spuriously.

You'll also like:

  • 1.  LM3915 IC Datasheet, Pinout, Application Circuits
  • 2.  UP DOWN Logic Sequence Controller Circuit
  • 3.  Simple Triac Phase Control Circuits Explored
  • 4.  Triacs – Working and Application Circuits
  • 5.  How to Understand and Use white LEDs – Datasheet
  • 6.  Solid State Relay (SSR) Circuit using MOSFETs

About Swagatam

I am an electronic engineer (dipIETE ), hobbyist, inventor, schematic/PCB designer, manufacturer. I am also the founder of the website: https://www.homemade-circuits.com/, where I love sharing my innovative circuit ideas and tutorials.
If you have any circuit related query, you may interact through comments, I'll be most happy to help!

Subscribe2


 

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Your Comments are too Valuable! But please see that they are related to the above article, and are not off-topic! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Liju says

    Can i connect 220v AC line to base of BC546 through a 5M ohm resistor to trigger the transistor ON/OFF.

    The main question is: since the C, E and load is going to b on a DC circuit with a 9V battery, will the domestic line which will not have common ground with this DC circuit trigger the transistor?

    Thanks for your advice in advance

    Reply
    • Swagatam says

      You must have the other unused line of the mains connected with the common (-) of the 9V DC otherwise the transistor will not switch. You will have to use a 1N4007 diode in series with the base resistor so that only +DC is able to reach the base.

      5M is too high, you can safely use 100K.

      This design will be non-isolated from mains so extremely dangerous to touch.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • 3-Phase Power (15)
  • 324 IC Circuits (19)
  • 4017 IC Circuits (53)
  • 4060 IC Circuits (25)
  • 555 IC Circuits (98)
  • 741 IC Circuits (19)
  • Amplifiers (58)
  • Arduino Engineering Projects (82)
  • Audio Projects (94)
  • Battery Chargers (82)
  • Car and Motorcycle (94)
  • Datasheets (46)
  • Decorative Lighting (Diwali, Christmas) (33)
  • DIY LED Projects (89)
  • Electronic Components (97)
  • Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory (35)
  • Electronics Tutorial (109)
  • Fish Aquarium (5)
  • Free Energy (35)
  • Fun Projects (11)
  • GSM Projects (9)
  • Health Related (18)
  • Heater Controllers (28)
  • Home Electrical Circuits (101)
  • How to Articles (20)
  • Incubator Related (6)
  • Industrial Electronics (28)
  • Infrared (IR) (40)
  • Inverter Circuits (98)
  • Laser Projects (12)
  • LM317/LM338 (21)
  • LM3915 IC (25)
  • Meters and Testers (63)
  • Mini Projects (171)
  • Motor Controller (66)
  • MPPT (7)
  • Oscillator Circuits (24)
  • PIR (Passive Infrared) (8)
  • Power Electronics (33)
  • Power Supply Circuits (74)
  • Radio Circuits (9)
  • Remote Control (47)
  • Security and Alarm (61)
  • Sensors and Detectors (116)
  • SG3525 IC (5)
  • Simple Circuits (74)
  • SMPS (29)
  • Solar Controllers (61)
  • Timer and Delay Relay (54)
  • TL494 IC (5)
  • Transformerless Power Supply (8)
  • Transmitter Circuits (40)
  • Ultrasonic Projects (14)
  • Water Level Controller (45)

Circuit Calculators

  • AWG to Millimeter Converter
  • Battery Back up Time Calculator
  • Capacitance Reactance Calculator
  • IC 555 Astable Calculator
  • IC 555 Monostable Calculator
  • Inductance Calculator
  • LC Resonance Calculator
  • LM317, LM338, LM396 Calculator
  • Ohm’s Law Calculator
  • Phase Angle Phase Shift Calculator
  • Power Factor (PF) Calculator
  • Reactance Calculator
  • Small Signal Transistor(BJT) and Diode Quick Datasheet
  • Transistor Astable Calculator
  • Transistor base Resistor Calculator
  • Voltage Divider Calculator
  • Wire Current Calculator
  • Zener Diode Calculator

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
My Facebook-Page
Quora

© 2022 · Swagatam Innovations

We use cookies on our website to give you the best experience.
Cookie settingsAccept All
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Please visit the Privacy Policy Page for more info.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT