Believe it or not, I love doing switching power supply troubleshooting! But it wasn't always like this in the beginning…
See, at first I didn't like troubleshooting SMPS units. Instead, I preferred working on linear power supplies because their circuit builds are a lot less intricate.
However, things have changed since I discovered the proper methods for restoring faulty SMPS. All it took was reading the right switching power supply repair manual AND…taking one step at a time.
So, if you're totally lost…then I suggest you pick up a copy of photo instructional SMPS repair guide presented via this link: Switch Power Supply Repair Info
On the other hand, if you're slightly stuck and need a just a little bit of help with your switching power supply troubleshooting work, then kindly take note of the following tactics…
Tactic 1:
Take out the schematic diagrams and analyze them properly. See the various circuit functions displayed – there are 11 in total. The more you know about them, the more likely you'll be able to pinpoint the source of problems.
It could be due to the oscillator circuit, the filtering circuit or perhaps, even the error detection circuit! So analyze each one in detail.
Tactic 2:
Of course you also need to properly scrutinize each component in the SMPS. The cause of failure may be attributed to battered electrolytic capacitors, faulty zener diodes etc.
Use the appropriate tester to assess suspected components. Grab an IC tester and assess the IC power accordingly. Is it working normally? How about the zener diodes? Have you tested them with your zener diode tester?
Tactic 3:
Remember, there are many of ways to conduct switching power supply troubleshooting so never limit yourself to just one particular method!
You see, I encountered all sorts of SMPS problems and so I use a variety of methods to tackle them.
Take the light bulb technique for example. This is a common method for repairing SMPS and it has multiple variations. Therefore, I would use the off, extremely bright or pulsating bulb technique depending on the problem…
You know, in most cases, the ideal way to conduct switching power supply trouble shooting, and ultimately repair it in the quickest time possible is by referring comprehensive step by detailed step repair manual.
There is one available and can be downloaded straight to your computer…So you don't have to wait for shipping. For precise details, just follow this link.
