Continuing Education

Reading Electronic Schematics

How to understand and create tools essential in troubleshooting and comprehending electronic
devices

by David Herres

In electronic equipment, there has been a models of clarity and convey the intended
continuous move toward more complexity and information efficiently and without ambiguity,
increased miniaturization. These trends make while others are muddled and disorganized.
troubleshooting and diagnosis ever more
difficult. For an elevator motion controller in a
Diagrams
public building, the stakes are high, because any Manufacturers generally supply three types
outage, even for an hour., can equate to great (with subtypes) of diagrams as part of the
expense. Additionally, there are health and safety documentation that accompanies electronic
issues that intensify the scenario. Consider a equipment. Besides schematics, there are
bank of elevators in a healthcare facility pictorial and block diagrams.
paralyzed by the failure of a single discrete
Pictorial
component soldered in place on one of many
Pictorial diagrams consist of photographs or
circuit boards.
Repair technicians can open enclosures and
drawings to scale, showing the components as Value: 1
they are physically situated on the chassis or
visually inspect their contents, often in vain. contact
circuit board. These graphics are very helpful
Sometimes, a burnt device, wire or termination
will reveal the point
after a repair has been made in successfully hour
getting everything back together without (0.1 CEU)
of failure, but more
damage. In electronics, there is often a
often, the circuitry
Learning Objectives will just stare back at
Continued Approved for
Continuing
you. Diagnostic test Education by
After reading this article, you
equipment may point NAEC for CET®
should have learned about:
the way, but you still and CAT®.
♦ How electronic schematic
diagrams are used by have to know where
to look. Without EW Continuing
technicians in troubleshooting
doubt, the greatest Education is
and repair
single asset in currently approved
♦ Some of the principal
working through such in the following
schematic symbols
enigmas is the states: AL, AR, FL,
♦ The importance of pictorial
schematic diagram. In GA, IL, IN, KY, MD,
and block diagrams
♦ What to look for in a a job interview, the MO, MS, MT, OK, PA,
manufacturer’s documentation applicant will be VA, VT, WV and WI.
♦ Typical schematics for various asked, “Can you read Please check for
types of electronic equipment schematics?” The specific course veri-
answer is not always fication of approval
clear-cut: some at www.elevator-
schematics are Figure 1: A pictorial representation of a VFD books.com.

November 2016 • ELEVATOR WORLD 55

significant mechanical aspect to the work, as when a motor/pump
unit has to be taken apart for repairs and then reassembled. An
exploded view, a type of pictorial diagram, is helpful.
When dealing with a complex and challenging
electromechanical assembly and there is no pictorial diagram
available–a good approach is to take high-resolution digital
photographs of the equipment at various stages of disassembly.
These can be helpful in reconnecting wires properly. (A
misconnected wire has been known to cause elevator door
interlock failure.)

Block
Another diagram usually included in the manufacturer’s
documentation is the block diagram. Here, individual components Figure 3: Schematic symbols for electronic components
and circuit wiring are not depicted. Instead, major stages in the
electronic equipment are shown with single lines indicating power a way as to avoid having inductance. Currently, most resistors
and information flow among stages. This type of diagram provides consist of carbon and other materials combined so as to have the
an excellent overview of the equipment and is immensely helpful required resistance, though wire-wound resistors are still used in
as a first approach in failure assessment and diagnosis. high-precision applications. When current flows through a resistor,
Since the invention of the superheterodyne radio receiver the voltage is dropped, and the excess electrical energy is
(Figure 2) in the early 20th century, this design has dominated dissipated in the form of heat. The dissipated heat is proportional
radio communications, and it is used in television (TV), as well. to the square of the amount of current times the resistance, which
An oscillator, tuned in synchronization with the radio-frequency is expressed as I2R. Engineers speak of I2R loss in any device or
(RF) filter that selects broadcasts from a range of frequencies, conductor that has resistance.
supplies electrical energy that beats in the mixer with the RF The schematic symbol for a diode has an anode and cathode,
signal, dropping it down to a more manageable intermediate and it is evident from looking at the symbol that current will flow
frequency. This signal is subsequently amplified, demodulated and in one direction when it is forward biased, but not in the other
again amplified in audio stages and, finally, fed to the speaker. direction when it is reverse biased. The schematic symbol for an
Schematic inductor clearly conveys the idea of a coil of wire. An air-core
inductor is shown. If one or more lines are added parallel to the
By far, the most helpful single item in the manufacturer’s
documentation is the schematic diagram, accompanied by a parts windings, the device has an iron core. The symbol for a capacitor is
list. This may consist of a single page or many pages, often spiral also quite intuitive. The two parallel plates are shown with leads
bound so that it will lay flat on the workbench. When a schematic affixed, and there is a gap between them corresponding to the
diagram, because of size and complexity, fills multiple pages, each dielectric layer. A real-world capacitor may be rolled to form a
page will have terminations that show interconnections. This may cylinder, but the symbol conveys the idea schematically.
seem to be a source of confusion, but it is actually reasonably user The symbols for digital gates become increasingly intuitive with
friendly, because each page contains information relating to exposure. Notice that a gate may have one or more inputs but
specific functions, so the focus is often limited to a single page. always a single output. The round circle at the output denotes the
A schematic diagram, as opposed to a pictorial diagram, does input is inverted in the device. The concave line at the input shows
not picture the components as they actually appear. Instead, the device is an OR digital logic gate or one of its derivatives.
symbols, conforming to national and closely related international Figure 4 shows input power (typically standard 120-VAC house
standards, are used. These symbols are wonderfully intuitive, current) on the left and unfiltered pulsating DC output on the
expressing not the way the components look, but how they work. right. Four diodes are arranged to provide full-wave rectification
Consider, for example, the schematic symbols for resistor, without need for a center wrap. The symbol for the resistor is a
capacitor and inductor. variant. The schematic shows correct polarization for the two pairs
The schematic symbol for a resistor is based on a time when the of diodes. A power transformer invariably has an iron core, as
component was formed from a long wire segment wrapped in such shown.
Figure 5 shows a regenerative receiver, an early type of radio
that followed the crystal set and preceded the superheterodyne. It
is still built by students as an educational project, and its output is
more than sufficient to drive headphones. Enhanced gain is

Figure 2: Block diagram of the signal flow in a superheterodyne radio receiver:

power flow is omitted for clarity. Figure 4: A schematic of a full-wave rectifier

56 www.elevatorworld.com • November 2016

 experience in analyzing schematics and comparing them to the
actual circuit boards and overall electronic equipment, workers
internalize these conventions so schematic diagrams make sense
right from the start.
At one time, virtually all elevators were powered by DC motors,
because the speed of an AC motor could not be readily controlled.
The mid-20th-century invention of the variable-frequency drive
(VFD) was a great innovation, because, with fairly simple circuitry,
it permitted automatic speed, direction and torque control of a
standard AC induction motor.
The schematic shows how it works. Three-phase utility power,
Figure 5: A schematic of a regenerative receiver often 480 V, is supplied by a branch circuit to the unit, typically
housed in a well-ventilated metal enclosure. Each of the three hot
achieved by feeding a part of the output back into the input of the
legs is center-tapped into a pair of diodes. All six diodes are
single-tube amplifier. Coupling is provided by two air-core
polarized in the same direction, and the DC output from this
inductors. One slides inside the other, moved by the operator, thus
rectifier section is fed to two heavy conductors, known as the DC
regulating the amount of regeneration.
bus. A capacitor is connected across the DC bus for the purpose of
At the signal input, one end of the primary coil is connected to
filtering out ripple.
ground, while the other end terminates at an antenna through a
The DC bus conveys power to the inverter section of the VFD.
variable capacitor. Notice the capacitors are labeled “C1,” “C2,”
Since this is the output, it is depicted at the right of the schematic,
“C3” and “C4.” They and other components are usually listed in an
but the actual layout within the enclosure may differ. The intent of
accompanying table giving specifications. The vacuum-tube
the schematic is to show logical function and electrical
envelope is shown as a circle with internal elements, a filament, a
connections, not physical locations of the components. It is the job
grid and a plate represented by conventional symbols. Power
of the technician to locate components and find circuit nodes so
supplies (in this case, batteries) are sometimes terminated at the
measurements can be made.
tops and bottoms of the schematic. Here, they are located within
The DC power moves across the DC bus to the six output
the diagram.
semiconductors. Notice that the signal inputs, coming from the
With practice, increasingly complex schematics can be read so
elevator motion controller, are not shown beyond the
that the purpose of the various components becomes clear and
semiconductor leads, although the three-phase power output to
power and signal flows understood. Well-drawn schematics adhere
the motor is shown. The technician using a multimeter and an
closely to these standards. Any improvisation or attempts to stylize
oscilloscope will know what to look for by reading the schematic.
the symbols is definitely out of place and will impede efficient and
Often, schematics show the proper voltages at various test points,
accurate interpretation. Complete catalogs of schematic symbols,
and for a TV schematic, small graphics with oscilloscope traces are
including the many variations of semiconductors, can be found on
shown at critical points. On the DC bus, we want to see a pure
the Internet, and it is recommended that you print, post over the
unvarying direct current free of ripples. At the VFD output and the
workbench and save in the computer a chart of these symbols.
three motor terminals, look for balanced, pulse-modulated current
In addition to conventions for individual schematic symbols,
free of harmonics.
there are conventions for how the overall layout is realized. The
Needless to say, these are very high voltage levels with large
schematic diagram does not relate to the real-world position of
amounts of available fault current. Extreme caution should be
components on a chassis or circuit board. The intent is to show the
taken to avoid shock and arc flash. Before working on this sort of
logical and electrical connections. In the schematic diagram,
equipment, the technician should receive instruction and
component symbols are positioned with respect to power and
understand how to deal with potential hazards. Safety interlocks,
information flow, and conform to conventions. Knowledgeable
guarding and grounding must remain in place, and after repairs are
electronic technicians understand these conventions. With
completed, care must be taken so new hazards are not introduced.
Terminations need to be torqued to specifications, and all cautions
in the manufacturer’s documentation must be observed.
Consulting the schematic and considering the symptoms
exhibited by the equipment under investigation, it should be
possible to ascertain the general, if not the exact, location of the
fault. Referring to the schematic, once the general area of the fault
has been located, several techniques are available for pinpointing
the problem. For example, a microprocessor that is abnormally hot
is probably damaged and not functioning. If it is not warm at all
(i.e., it is at room temperature), the device is not receiving, or it is
not passing current. If the working temperature is abnormal, either
the microchip is bad internally or a peripheral is faulty (usually
Figure 6: Schematic diagram of a VFD
Continued

November 2016 • ELEVATOR WORLD 57

shorted or open), and electrical energy is not going where it colleagues or to a manufacturer’s technical support for
should. consultation.
A schematic can be drawn using ordinary drafting tools and
Troubleshooting techniques. This process is time consuming, and, while the results
Diagnosis becomes more difficult when operational faults are may be acceptable for some applications, they leave something to
intermittent. This may be caused by a small, virtually invisible, be desired if one is preparing a manufacturer’s documentation or
crack in a device or conductor that expands when critical promotional materials. For applications such as these, there are
temperature is attained. It is sometimes possible to apply a small computer programs that, if skillfully implemented, will yield
amount of heat to a questionable component or conductor so as to superb schematics with built-in compliance to all the conventions.
bring out the fault. A cooling spray, made for the purpose, will
sometimes temporarily restore operation for diagnostic purposes. Examples
The schematic diagram will always lead you to the fault. Digikey, a large electronics components supplier, offers a free
What is difficult (sometimes a little difficult, sometimes very online schematics and diagramming tool at www.digikey.com.
difficult) is locating the components, as shown on a schematic, on Click on “EDA & Design Tools” then “Scheme-it” then “Try It
the actual printed circuit board or chassis. With increased Now.” The “New Project” window comes up, and from there, you
miniaturization, following printed conductors on the reverse side can see how the program works. A screen that looks like a sheet of
of circuit boards and locating and identifying device terminations graph paper with a list of devices in a vertical column (on the left)
and circuit nodes have become increasingly difficult. Device appears. For example, there are 29 types of diodes. Any of them
locations on a circuit board are determined by many factors, can be dragged into the project, rotated, connected with lines that
including characteristic impedance of the printed circuit traces, represent wires and arranged as desired. The end result is a finished
positioning of devices to mitigate thermal and electromagnetic schematic that can be given a name and saved as a file.
effects, and so on. Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor (EAGLE) is a
It is very easy to damage nearby devices and/or the circuit complete electronics design system that has become the tool of
board itself when desoldering and soldering components. If an choice for electronics design professionals. In addition to
elevator is down in a public place, the best option may be to permitting schematic capture, it is a printed–circuit–board (PCB)
replace one (or more) entire circuit board(s) to restore operation layout editor and auto router. It also contains computer-aided-
quickly. However, this depends upon availability. Also, be aware that: design and bill-of-materials tools.
♦ Entire circuit boards are very expensive. This is because, for EAGLE has a steep learning curve. In this, it resembles Adobe
specialized equipment, they are manufactured in relatively Photoshop. To become proficient, expect to devote lots of time
small quantities. and effort. To begin, choose and download the desired version,
♦ Because they contain large populations of metal–oxide– based on budget and needs. The free EAGLE Light enables the
semiconductor field-effect transistor-like insulated gate devices user to evaluate the program and learn what is involved. It works in
in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor configurations, Mac, Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. Users can
modern circuit boards can be instantly ruined by very small take advantage of a very large expandable library of components,
amounts of static electricity. A serious problem is that circuit which can be further modified and customized. Symbols
boards damaged in this way show no visible sign of damage. The representing electronic components are moved onto the page and
technician may assume that since the substitution failed to solve arranged to create the desired circuitry. Additional capabilities
the problem, the fault must lie elsewhere. include the ability to translate the schematic, with a click, into a
♦ A circuit board may be damaged by excessive voltage or heat PCB layout with auto routing. The product can be saved as Gerber,
that comes from outside of it. A replacement board will, sooner Post Script, Excellon or Lieb & Meyer drill files, as required by
or later, suffer the same fate. A related problem arises when a PCB fabrication companies.
cooling fan, perhaps because of a bad bearing, power supply, If the goal is to create schematics for print or to communicate
sensor or control wiring, fails to perform its cooling function. with colleagues, EAGLE Light’s functionality is sufficient.
Also, look for blocked or clogged cooling vents or high ambient However, this version’s maximum PCB size is 4 X 3.2 in. (though
temperature. still sufficient for many applications). In creating schematics, the
For the above reasons, it sometimes makes more sense to Light edition permits only one sheet per project, so it is not
replace an individual component on a circuit board. This is possible to divide a large project into separate schematics with
especially true when you are not dealing with an outage in a public links between the sheets. To go beyond these limitations, it is
place. For example, you may have replaced a bad circuit board and necessary to purchase one of the more advanced versions.
want to fix it as a spare. There are online tutorials and print books EAGLE is built upon a “Control Panel,” which permits access to
and articles available that cover soldering techniques and circuit- its many features. It is here that the user accesses libraries of
board repair in detail. components, specifies design rules (such as track spacing) and
moves to more of the program’s features.
Creation Under “Projects,” there are two files: “Schematic” (.sch) and
You may have occasion to draw a schematic. With a good “Board Layout” (.brd). It is necessary to have both of these open
understanding of the conventions heretofore discussed, you can simultaneously when working on a program so they remain
create a schematic and scan it for the purpose of emailing it to synchronized.
Continued

58 www.elevatorworld.com • November 2016

 Figure 7: The EAGLE “Control Panel”

Conclusion
Electronic schematics are at once challenging, yet user friendly
for the technician who cares to use them. Without schematics and
other documentation, the task at hand is far more difficult, and the
Savaria Infinity (Slim Door) Residential Elevator likelihood of success greatly reduced.

David Herres holds a New Hampshire Master

Electrician’s license and has worked as an
electrician in the northern part of that state for
many years. He has focused on writing since 2006,
having written for such magazines as ELEVATOR
WORLD, Electrical Construction and Maintenance,
Cabling Business, Electrical Business, Nuts and
Volts, PV Magazine, Electrical Connection, Solar
Connection, Solar Industry Magazine, Fine
Homebuilding Magazine and Engineering News
Record. He has also written four books published by McGraw-Hill: 2011
National Electrical Code Chapter by Chapter, Troubleshooting and
Repairing Commercial Electrical Equipment, The Electrician’s Trade
Demystified and The Homeowner’s DIY Guide to Electrical Wiring, the
latter published in December 2014. He holds a BA in English Literature
and Composition from Hobart College of Geneva, New York.

Savaria.
It’s where you want to be.
We’re not just great products. We back them
up with innovative business tools including
Learning-Reinforcement
our industry-leading Quote Builder system
that lets you draw, quote and order all in the
Questions
cloud – anytime, anywhere. Use the below learning-reinforcement questions to
study for the Continuing Education Assessment Exam
savaria.com
photos, video, drawings and more available online at www.elevatorbooks.com or on p. 125 of
this issue.
♦ What is the purpose of a pictorial diagram?
♦ What is the purpose of a block diagram?
vertical platform lifts | inclined platform lifts ♦ What is the purpose of a schematic diagram?
LU/LA elevators | home elevators ♦ How are input and output arranged in a schematic
©2016 Savaria 2 Walker Drive Brampton ON L6T 5E1 Canada | 800.661.5112 diagram?
♦ What are the two ways of locating power input in a
Installation and photo: Day Elevator and Lift
Winner of the Savaria photo contest schematic diagram?

60 www.elevatorworld.com • November 2016

 ELEVATOR WORLD Continuing Education
Assessment Examination Questions
Read the article “Reading Electronic Schematics” (p. 55) and study the
learning-reinforcement questions at the end of the article.
To receive one hour (0.1 CEU) of continuing-education credit, answer the
assessment examination questions found below online at www.elevatorbooks.
com or fill out the ELEVATOR WORLD Continuing Education Reporting Form
found overleaf and submit by mail with payment.
Approved for Continuing Education by NAEC for CET® and CAT®.

1. How many components may be shown an incorrect location.

in a schematic diagram? d. None of these.
a. One.
b. Two or four. 6. A regenerative radio was never
c. Three. manufactured due to its complexity.
d. There is no limit. a. True.
b. False.
2. Schematic diagrams are usually
included in the manufacturer’s 7. The superheterodyne receiver:
documentation. a. Was developed in 1964.
a. True. b. Is no longer used.
b. False. c. Includes a local oscillator.
d. None of these.
3. Why are schematic diagrams used?
a. To trace signal paths. 8. Variable-frequency drives (VFDs) are
b. To trace power flow. used to control DC motors.
c. Neither of these. a. True.
d. Both of these. b. False.

4. What is the purpose of a schematic? 9. VFDs:

a. To show the physical location of all a. Contain hazardous voltages.
components. b. Are now obsolete.
b. To show the physical location of c. No longer have DC busses.
some components. d. All of these.
c. To show logical function and
electrical connections. 10. Schematic diagrams:
d. To show distances between a. Always show voltages at test points.
important components. b. Sometimes show voltages at test
points.
5. What does abnormal microchip c. Never show voltages at test points.
working temperature indicate? d. Always contain oscilloscope
a. The device is both receiving and screenshots.
passing current.
b. Electrical energy is not going where
it should.
c. The microchip has been installed in

November 2016 • ELEVATOR WORLD 125

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Article title: “Reading Electronic 2. a b 7. a b c d
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