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How to Convert Pictoral to Ladder Diagrams

There are many ways to draw electrical circuits and each method has its uses and drawbacks. It may be necessary to convert from one diagram to another during the circuit design process. For example, a design might start with a pictoral diagram, which is a simplified diagram that only shows circuit components and their connections. The next step in designing this circuit may be to convert it into a ladder diagram, which places each component in-between two parallel lines that represent power lines.

Instructions

- 1
  Identify the power source on the pictoral diagram. This should be clearly labeled and may take the form of a picture of a battery or power cable plug. All the devices in the pictoral diagram connect to the power source in a loop, with the "+" end of the power supply marking the start of the loop and the "-" end marking the end of the loop.
- 2
  Draw two parallel lines on each side of a piece of paper to begin making your ladder diagram. Mark one line "L1" and one line "L2." These parallel lines correspond to the power source connections in the circuit. The "L1" line corresponds to the "+" end of the power supply, and the "L2" line corresponds to the "-" end.
- 3
  Follow the loop of the pictoral diagram, starting at the "+" end of the power supply. Work your way to the first circuit component.
- 4
  Draw this component in-between the "L1" and "L2" lines on the ladder diagram, placing it close to the "L1" line. Draw a line from the "L1" line to the component.
- 5
  Look for any other circuit components between the first circuit component on the pictoral diagram and the "-" end of the power supply. Draw any of these components next to the component on the ladder diagram, until you reach the final component that connects to the "-" end of the power supply.
- 6
  Draw a line from the final component to the "L2" line.
- 7
  Go back to the first component and continue following the circuit, ignoring any components that you have already drawn. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 for all components on the pictoral diagram until you have followed the pictoral diagram all the way to the "-" end of the power supply.

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