Conducting SMPS troubleshooting is excruciatingly difficult, you're better off becoming a rocket scientist!
Alright, alright, I'm just joking…However, the fact remains that troubleshooting and fixing an SMPS unit is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
You see, most SMPS have very complicated circuitry architecture. And that's just for beginners…
A typical SMPS has almost a dozen circuit functions thus making things even more difficult for fledgling technicians! And don't get me started on the voltages and critical waveforms that involve several different segments of a SMPS.
I know all these stuff sounds pretty mind-boggling, however let me assure you that with adequate practice combined with the right SMPS troubleshooting guide, you'll eventually get everything down to a T!
And speaking of troubleshooting guide, there's one that will come in handy for anyone wishing to learn how to repair various switch mode power supplies. You can check it out by clicking here.
In the meantime, please take note of the following tips to ensure each and every troubleshooting case goes smoothly for you…
(A) Hone your sectional failure detection skill.
Learn to precisely identify SMPS sectional failure. This is a time-saving skill that you must acquire as soon as possible!
It'll save you a lot of time because once you're able to accurately detect which section is posing the problem, then you can simply direct all your focus and attention on that section alone.
Folks who are unable to identify sectional failure in a precise manner will wind up wasting a lot of precious time because they'll test every single section…Let me tell you, that's a very mind-numbing task!
(B) If there's a problem with the FET, DON'T simply toss out the power IC!
When I first got started on SMPS troubleshooting, one of the biggest mistakes I made was dumping away SMPS power ICs whenever I came across shorted FET located in the primary side.
Please do not make this mistake. If the power FET is shorted, then please make it a habit to inspect the power ICs thoroughly to find out if it's still working properly.
I believe in many shorted FET cases, the power ICs were never really affected. So how do you test the power ICs? Simple, just use a basic UC3842 IC tester.
(C) Hone your component testing skill.
This is another crucial, time-saving skill. Troubleshooting SMPS can be a real chore, especially if you're not familiar with a particular design. This means you have to test one component at a time!
Therefore, I suggest you hone your electrical component testing skill. Practice makes perfect after all. The better your testing skill, the faster you can complete the repairing task.
As I said, the right SMPS troubleshooting guide can do wonders for your repairing skills. It presents each repairing step in precise, photographic detail. If you need to download one, just follow this link: Downloadable SMPS Troubleshooting Guide
Showing posts with label SMPS troubleshooting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SMPS troubleshooting. Show all posts
Switching Power Supply Troubleshooting – Revealing 3 Key Tactics for Troubleshooting SMPS Quickly
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.
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.
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