LM324

The LM324 is an Op amp. It is available in a DIP-14 package.

When to use this part

This is your basic, cheap (quad) op amp. However, its specs are poor compared to modern devices.

Use this part when you DON'T need any of the following 'specialty' requirements:

• High speed / large gain-bandwidth product
• Rail-to-rail input or output
• Low noise
• Very high input impedance
• Very low offset voltage (and drift)
• Very low bias current
• High quality audio signal amplification

If you only need a dual op amp, the LM358 is basically half of an LM324 in a DIP-8 package.

How to use the LM324 in LTSpice

To simulate a LM324 in LTSpice, we will place an 'opamp2' part and then modify its attributes to use one of our LM324.lib files.

Start by creating the following test circuit.

After you place the opamp2 part, control-right-click on it to bring up the part attribute editor.

Change the 'Value' to 'LM324'.

Save your LTSpice circuit. Choose one of the LM324 parts (in parts/op amp/) and drag it into the same folder. Here, I've chosen the LM324 manufactured by Texas Instruments.

Add a spice directive to load the LM324 part.

Create a transient simulation. Here, I'm simulating through 1 millisecond with a 1 microsecond time-step.

This should be your final circuit, ready to be simulated.

Run the simulation and measure the voltage at Vout. It should be very close to 5V.