Getting frustrated with troubleshooting power supplies?
Look, if you're troubleshooting the linear types, well they are easy to do and certainly not as frustrating as…
Switch mode power supplies or SMPS! These suckers are harder to troubleshoot and repair because of their highly intricate circuit designs.
But don't worry!
I have a few tactics to help you lower your frustration level. See, I recently discovered an encyclopedia-like manual for troubleshooting power supplies – specifically the switch mode ones.
And I've learned a good deal of repairing tips and strategies from this user-friendly SMPS fixing guide.
Below are a few of the tactics I learned from the manual which has been a great help to me…
By the way, you can learn more by clicking this link because the methods listed in the manual are extensive and the limited space here prevents me from sharing more.
(1)
The secondary area of a SMPS contain various amounts of outputs (depending on the design) where every single one is tied to an individual circuit, it is best that you determine early on which part is actually inducing the problem.
Analyze the secondary side filter capacitors and also the secondary output schottky diodes. These components might be the source of failure. Fortunately, they can be easily replaced without breaking the bank.
(2)
You must familiarize yourself with the components located in main and sub area of a SMPS as quickly as possible. This is the cardinal rule of troubleshooting power supplies of all types – not just switch mode kinds…
Familiarization of components is critical because it allows you to solve common SMSP problems like zero power, voltage output that is either too low or too high, and of course…total power shutdown.
(3)
In order to inspect the negative output, the probe of your ohm meter must be set in reverse. Look at the reading of the output voltage lines and see whether it gives out identical reading.
If the reading is identical and low, then it's obvious that the issue is located within the output line. So focus on the components in that area and ignore everything else!
As mentioned, you can actually get an in-depth, downloadable guide on troubleshooting power supplies (switch mode) where step-by-step photos and diagrams are generously displayed for easy reference.
If you're interested, then go right ahead and follow this link for download details.
