I definitely need to use SPICE more often. Without practice it is time
consuming, without a doubt.

I was referred to a tool called PSCAD by some folks on another list, and
found a free download - something done by Manitoba Hydro. It looks very
interesting, but there is apparently another learning curve to get
past....Hmmmm

>> SPICE. But you have to learn to use it properly or it will lie to you
>> all the time.
>
>I can't tell if you have read the full message I posted and are breaking
>my chops, or if you are serious.

I am not familiar with that expression. I was answering your op before
reading the whole thread (I see digests, 24 hours out of phase - I should
quote more of the op probably).

Setting up a simulation in SPICE needs to be done once. Then you use it as
a template (or subcircuit) for each new design. A couple of hints:

- Three phase supplies can be made by using three sine wave ac sources,
specify the phase for each (you knew that).

- Phase synchronous thyristor firing points can be obtained in several
ways, one being a sawtooth source (square wave + rc lowpass filter works
too) that drives a voltage controlled switch (whose reference voltage is a
voltage source you can set). The edge of the output from this can be used
as a firing pulse after differentiation.

- A real power measuring device can be built from a multiplier connected
suitably across voltage and current (the latter obtained from a probe
resistor and a voltage controlled voltage source with suitable gain). By
using the maths built into spice you can write expressions for 3-phase
power, rms, reactive power for strange waveforms from chopped ac, dc
component, whatever.

By saying that you need to learn to use SPICE properly I meant the not so
obvious features, as described above. Since it's a simulator you can do
things that are not possible in a real circuit. I assume that you are
using a graphical input tool for SPICE (schematic capture). Writing it by
hand may be hard ;-).

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics
(like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics