Hardware Information

The Importance Of Current Sense Resistor In Switch Mode Power Supply


Current sense resistor is usually located in the switch mode power supply section. Newer version of monitor-the b+ (boost) circuit also have this current sense resistor. If you repair electronic equipment especially the switch mode power supplies, the current sensing resistor is connected to the source pin of power FET (field effect transistor) and the other end to HOT GROUND. The value of current sense resistor is in the range of 0.1 ohm to about 1 ohm. The values are depends on the design of each power supply.

In monitor power supply where pulse width modulation (pwm) ic UC3842 are used. Pin 3 of this power ic is called I-sense which means current sense and this pin is connected to source pin of POWER FET. The purpose of this current sense circuit is for overcurrent protection. This circuit usually samples the voltage drop across a resistor in series with the switching fet transistor. If the current rises abnormally due to some short circuit in the secondary side such as a shorted secondary diode or horizontal output transistor (HOT), the voltage will exceed a reference level and shutdown the pulse generator which is the PWM ic. This circuit provides protection to components in the event a problem occurs. In some cases where overload happen-the power section will blow and most of the time the components changed are fuse, power fet, pwm ic, zener diode and current sense resistor.

Do you know that a small change in this current sense resistor value have a great impact on the secondary output? A little change in value say from 0.22 ohm to 0.44 ohm can caused your ouput voltage to drop into half! I have seen a lot of repairer can't detect this type of problem (low output voltage) due to that they used analog or digital meter that don't have the low ohms range. You can't differentiate if the low ohms resistor has its value changed by using normal meters. I personally use the Dick Smith ESR Meter which have the capabilities to check resistor value down to 0.01 ohm! If you don't have this special meter you may just direct replace the current sense resistor to see if the generated secondary output will back to normal voltage.

Another tip is that if the current sense resistor in the monitor B+ circuit have changed value it will caused the output in the boost circuit to become low and you will have a small width display and of course the high voltage will become low as well. Instead of 24Kv it becomes 15-18Kv.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information on electronic repair please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm


MORE RESOURCES:

Geekzone

SanDisk's new USB drive secures data with 2x hardware encryption
CNET News, CA - 11 hours ago
Their newest Ultra Backup USB flash drive uses both password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption to reduce holes in vulnerability across the ...
SanDisk Launches World’s First Button Backup USB Flash Drive WELT ONLINE
SanDisk Keeps Its Thumb on Backup Tech PC Magazine
SanDisk's faster netbook flash Register
TG Daily - Geek.com
all 50 news articles


German digital hardware sales record
Hollywood Reporter, United States - 6 hours ago
Sales of flat-screen televisions, set-top decoders, game consoles and other digital hardware jumped 4.3% to a record 12.3 billion euros ($17 billion) last ...


Neoseeker

Wii, PS3 See Hardware Sales Gains In Japan
Kotaku.com, NY - 9 hours ago
By Michael McWhertor , 1:40 PM on Wed Jan 7 2009, 833 views The holidays were very good to Nintendo in Japan, with hardware sales big enough to translate to ...
Japanese Game Market Contracts 15.3 Percent in 2008 EndSights
Nintendo Dominates Contracting Japanese Videogame Market 1UP.com
Enterbrain: Japan's games market drops 15 percent in 2008 Neoseeker
GamesIndustry.biz - Ars Technica
all 38 news articles


guardian.co.uk

The amazing vanishing Mac desktop machine
Macworld, CA - Jan 6, 2009
When I heard “the Mac,” the “cool new hardware” synapses in my brain took over all normal, rational thought, and my low expectations went right out the ...
Video: Steve Jobs Weight Loss Due to Hormone Imbalance AssociatedPress
No surprises at Apple's final Macworld guardian.co.uk
News from the Mac world New Zealand Herald
Baltimore Sun - InformationWeek
all 2,798 news articles


Hardware, specialty stores strive to keep salt stocked
The Reporter, WI - 20 hours ago
Braun Hardware, W2118 Fourth Street Road, is also hoping to replenish its shelves later this week, said co-owner Ingrid Braun. She said she's been selling ...
Ice Melters Sell Out WBAY
all 2 news articles


Ars Technica

OQO launches world's smallest Vista PC with OLED screen
Ars Technica, MA - 4 hours ago
There have been other OQO models since that first Model 01, at least one based on a VIA CPU, but hardware technology didn't really catch up with OQO's ...


Nude Art...in a Hardware Store?
KESQ, CA - Jan 6, 2009
The thing that's unusual about the display is that it's inside a hardware store. Steve Maloney is displaying the unclothed mannequins along with paintings ...
Artist Steve Maloney is showing his pop art pieces at True Value The Desert Sun
all 2 news articles


Genesco Upgrades POS Hardware with Fujitsu’s TeamPoS 3000 XL 2 System
Business Wire (press release), CA - 14 hours ago
“In addition, the TeamPoS 3000 XL 2 is one of the top POS hardware solutions on the market, offering superior speed, energy efficiency and ruggedness. ...


DailyTech

New Mac Mini Hardware to Be Supported by Revolutionary SeeFile Web ...
Reuters - Jan 5, 2009
SeeFile solves this problem by providing pre-installed bundles of hardware and software that can be installed as easily as any networked computer. ...
Apple has plans for iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro in 2009 PC Perspectives
Macworld.ars: Company may have spilled Mac mini beans Ars Technica
Mac mini Getting Dual Display Support - Rumor MacMod
Macworld - Computerworld
all 52 news articles


Trojans grab some new hardware
TheHerald, NC - 14 hours ago
... championship trophy, she probably didn't realize she was only thre years old the last time South's girls basketball team claimed any kind of hardware. ...

Hardware - Google News

home | index |site map
© 2006