Duty Cycle (DC) Rate Calculator
Calculate PWM Duty Cycle, Frequency, and Output Voltage
Understanding Duty Cycle (DC) Rate
In electronics and signal processing, the Duty Cycle (DC) represents the fraction of one period in which a signal or system is active. It is widely used in Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to control power delivery to devices such as motors, LEDs, and heating elements.
A "DC Rate" of 50% implies that the signal is HIGH for exactly half of the time and LOW for the other half, resulting in an average voltage exactly half of the input source.
The Duty Cycle Formula
The standard formula to calculate the duty cycle percentage is:
Where:
- Pulse Width ($t_{on}$): The time duration the signal is in the active or high state.
- Total Period ($T$): The time it takes for the signal to complete one full ON/OFF cycle.
Calculating Average Voltage
One of the primary uses of calculating the DC rate is to determine the average output voltage ($V_{avg}$) seen by the load. This effectively converts a digital signal into an analog voltage level.
For example, if you have a 12V source and apply a 25% duty cycle, the effective voltage powering your device will be 3V.
Frequency vs. Period
The period is inversely proportional to the frequency. If you know the frequency of your PWM controller (e.g., an Arduino running at 490 Hz), you can calculate the period using:
Using our calculator above, entering the pulse width and period allows you to verify if your signal timing meets the requirements for your specific electronic application.