[darren adcock]

Not really off topic, but thought rather than clutter up I'd post here. how the hell have I not come accross spice before...what an amazing bit of software.

Gonna save me so much time, and hopefully you guys some time also.

That's it, just wanted to say how excited i am by SPICE

 

[kellys_eye]

What's spice? Is that another name for coke?

If it is then.... HELL YEAH Bro!

 

[Alec_t]

Which Spice version? Many regulars on the forums use LTspice (a free download from Linear Technology).

 

[(*steve*)]

What's spice? Is that another name for coke?

If it is then.... HELL YEAH Bro!

I've not tried snorting LTSpice.

 

[darren adcock]

Haha, should have expected this! harrrrrr

I downloaded 5SPICE 1st, then got pointed towards LTSPICE.

lot's of good tutorials on youtube.

 

[Harald Kapp]

We also have some tips and tricks for LTSPICE in our ressources. Some of them should work for othe SPICE flavors too (pun intended).

Note that SPICE does not tak ethe burden of designing a circuit from you. It is useful for verification of your design. As any simulator, SPICE is limited by the quality of the models used for the circuit components and the circuit. Once you reach the realm where parasitic circuit elements matter, using SPICE can become quite challenging.

 

[darren adcock]

We also have some tips and tricks for LTSPICE in our ressources. Some of them should work for othe SPICE flavors too (pun intended).

Note that SPICE does not tak ethe burden of designing a circuit from you. It is useful for verification of your design. As any simulator, SPICE is limited by the quality of the models used for the circuit components and the circuit. Once you reach the realm where parasitic circuit elements matter, using SPICE can become quite challenging.

Cheers Harald.

I'm generally learning bits of theory off here with your guys help, I have art of electronics and a few others I use as main reference, but then I can't as of yet work out how far I can push a circuit before I get the smoke. So was figuring rather than breadboarding all the time I could simulate off this and save some components (IC's and transistors mainly).

I'm trying my best to learn to break things down into modules, i'm guessing learning to do this in conjunction with LTspice will teach me alot and help me debug?

My workshop only has limited hours it's open and often i hate leaving there with a problem to solve, this will help me experiment more and help me ask more accurate questions when i need support on here I figure.

HOwever I do love breadboarding and don't want to lose that.

 

[Alec_t]

I can't as of yet work out how far I can push a circuit before I get the smoke.

Bear in mind that Spice is quite happy to let the (simulated) smoke out. By default it ignores component maximum ratings so, for example, will allow your little 1N4148 diode to pass 10 million Amps without batting an eyelid. You need your wits about you when using Spice, but its an invaluable tool.

 

[darren adcock]

That's really important to know. Thanks

 

[darren adcock]

also means I can run through internet searched circuits to test em before i buy in parts only to find it doesn't work. Internet is a mine field for none working circuits.

 

[Harald Kapp]

I can't as of yet work out how far I can push a circuit before I get the smoke.

LTSPICE will not start to smoke, but a useful feature for evaluating the power dissipation within a component is by pressing the alt key while the mouse cursor hovers over a component in the schematic. The cursor will change to a thermometer symbol and when you click on the component, the power dissipation of that component is plotted in the trace window.

Next place the cursor above the expression that was just created in the trace window (which could lokk e.g. like V(N001)*I(D1), depending on your circuit and choice of components. Hold down the CTRL key and click on the expression. LTSPICE will then pop up a window showing the average power dissipation (in mW) and the integral energy for the simulation time frame (in mJ).