Site to understand datasheets - a good idea? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 04:54:51 pm
content: I am really new to all this electronic stuff and most of what is on a datasheet is gobbledygook, I have no idea if a value is good or bad, have to be kept under or over, if it tells me that the component is useless for my purpose.In "frustration" have I searched for a simple "click and understand" guide, one where you select the component, find the strange abbreviation or wording, click on it and get a down to earth explanation.I.e. Capacitor -> max voltage -> "The highest Voltage the capacitor can withstand without burning off. You can always use a higher max value then you use in your circuit. But do never use a capacitor with a lower max voltage then what is running through your circuit.[Click here or more detailed info]If I buy a domain, set up some basic frame, and forever keeps the guide free for everybody, would you maybe help by contributing some small explanations like the above?

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 07:22:53 pm
content: Max before anything. Don't exceed that.Done.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 07:32:09 pm
content: Quote from: FriedMule on March 29, 2022, 04:54:51 pmNope. That would be like setting up a site to explain 1 + 1 =2. Plenty of those around (Allaboutcircuits etc.)

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 08:13:20 pm
content: So there is a site where you can easily find lets say VCEO for a BJT?

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 08:15:45 pm
content: Maybe this one (one of many that comes up on a Google search for "datasheet explanation"):https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/223Or this one (same search) that specifically explainsVCEO,VCBO, and other transistor parameters:https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/electronic_components/transistor/transistors-specifications.php

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:08:17 pm
content: https://www.google.com/search?q=VCEO+for+a+BJTThe VCEO Rating of a Transistor is the maximum allowable voltage that the collector-emitter junction of a transistor can handle before it becomes damaged or destroyed. The maximum allowable voltage that a junction of a transistor can withstand is called the breakdown voltage rating.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:20:25 pm
content: Digi-Key, Mouser, RS, and aggregators like Octopart have parametric searches for components; that can narrow down options pretty quickly, so for searching VCEO of a transistor, you wouldn't need to read and understand many datasheets.Understanding a datasheet is more or less understanding electronics as an engineering field; it's one of many skills an engineer develops over their education and years in the industry. However, it was not a subject that was particularly taught during my Masters' (we did study chart-reading in datasheets but that was about as far as we went.) I can see why some students/young players would find it difficult, I did too. All I can suggest is to start reading datasheets as a habit, for every component you intend to use. If a parameter is unclear, then try to research it or ask on a forum like this. As an single subject, explaining datasheets is quite hard, and I'm not sure your website would really be that much more than explaining electronics theory.I'd also say writing datasheets is an art - one which many manufacturers get quite badly wrong - though that's another matter.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:31:23 pm
content: If you go to this link you can also see where I linked common pinouts and pin abbreviations which is handy for datasheets.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/repair-documents-and-links-sticky-me-please-mods/msg3965453/#msg3965453Of course google can tell you this as well.https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+AVCC+on+a+schematicAVCC is Analog VCC and AGND is Analog GND. These connect to the ADC circuit of the MCU. If your MCU is a 5V type... etc

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:32:17 pm
content: Quote from: FriedMule on March 29, 2022, 08:13:20 pmYes, this one. Ask in the beginners section and it is almost guaranteed that somebody will tell you.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:35:30 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on March 29, 2022, 09:08:17 pmSpecifically,VCEOis the maximum allowable voltage from collector to emitter (two junctions) terminals with the base open-circuit (subscript O). There are other "VCE" ratings with different subscripts, but "O" is the most common.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2022, 09:45:40 pm
content: In my experience good datasheets explain the acronyms and whatnot at least to some extent, if not right there the graphs and test circuits farther down often give clues. I only ever think "what's that stand for again?" when the only datasheet I can find is mostly in Chinese or condensed to a single line in some old data book.E.G.https://www.onsemi.com/pdf/datasheet/2n3903-d.pdfVCEO is explained on the first page as the maximum collector-emitter voltage rating, on the second where the real specs are it's noted this is the voltage at which the transistor will breakdown (short out, more or less), and how they found that rating if you want to test it yourself. The only thing it doesn't tell you that you may need to know on occasion, like if you want to deliberately avalanche a BJT, is that number is a minimum and real life parts tend to exceed that rating by a fair amount. But that's more general knowledge than device specific, the datasheet is naturally written on a level that requires the reader to already understand the basics of what the part does and how it behaves.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 03:45:18 am
content: I am glad for all your replies:-)Yes, I could ask here about any parameter and I would with guarantee get a very useable answer! But what if we are talking about 20 parameters, maybe add to that the lack of knowledge of what it means.One of you wrote a very nice explanation "VCEO is the maximum allowable voltage from collector to emitter" but how should one know that? On Mouser is VCEO defined as "collector emitter voltage max".1) So is that how much it can handle (yes)2) Is it what it takes to turn it on3) Is that something you have to apply4) Is that max before reverse voltage5) Do I need the component to at lease have a lower or higher value than what voltage the circuit runs on6) or 1000 other interpretations.You could say this is stupid, but this is because you know it by hart. What abut this invented parameterFGD = 12V ... Fold to gate dialect of 12 Volt. Yes it is totally meaningless, but let's imagine that this was a parameter you found on a datasheet for a dingle-arm together with 32 other similar parameters. How would you find out, yeas make a search... but for every parameter, value on every datasheet?What I am saying is that I know the information is out there, but how do I find it in a short simple description without having to search again and again, trying to determine what search result is best.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 08:14:29 am
content: Quote from: Shock on March 29, 2022, 09:08:17 pmExcept that collector-emitter junctions don't exist.And then there is Vces and Vcex and VceXXX and

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 09:40:53 am
content: See my replies 4 and 9 above.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2022, 06:10:44 pm
content: Quote from: FriedMule on March 30, 2022, 03:45:18 amWhich part of "maximum" don't you understand?This has nothing to do with datasheets or electronics knowledge. Maximum means "the most" (that is possible or acceptable), in this and any other context.Honestly, I think your underlying problem is that you are trying to learn electronics from datasheets alone. You need basic tutorials, or a comprehensive electronics course like "The Art of Electronics" (Horowitz/Hill), to learn about the function and use of components; you will pick up the meaning of relevant terms as a side effect of that. Just a glossary for datasheets won't do the job.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2022, 01:46:08 pm
content: Yes it may have been a bad example, but my point was, if a beginner tries to find a component that fits a particular purpose and then stumble upon a list of specification that does not give any meaning. Then can that beginner search the internet for every specification including several even more advanced explanations and some sites may not even include the basic because you are expected to know that.If you had a site where you simply could click on the component you wanted to understand, and then click on the specification and get an explanation.I.e. BJT collector emitter capacity, what does that do... I know what it means, but only by searching and reading on different sites and by reading through long texts.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2022, 04:55:14 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on March 29, 2022, 09:08:17 pmVoltage Causing an Electronics Ouch (VCEO)

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 05, 2022, 05:35:35 pm
content: For an explanation of what a parameter or specification means, and why it is important, one should consult textbooks on circuit design and analysis.For details of a given specification in a datasheet, I already cited a websitehttps://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/electronic_components/transistor/transistors-specifications.php