(Topic ID: 235445)

Stern Spike Node Board Schematics Troubleshooting and Discussion

By JodyG

5 years ago


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  • Latest reply 4 hours ago by ChrisHibler
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    520-5318-00C Schematics.pdf (PDF preview)
    520-5321-00C Damage (resized).jpg
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    520-5321-00C-Schematic-ELG-Node-Board.pdf (PDF preview)
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    distri 48 (resized).png
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    520-5321-00 Rev C Damage (resized).jpg
    520-5321-00C-Schematic-ELG-Node-Board (1).pdf (PDF preview)
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    Post #147 Link to individual Stern PDFs of Spike schematics Posted by HighVoltage (5 years ago)

    Post #171 PDF of the available schematics. Posted by PinMonk (5 years ago)

    Post #411 Fault and current measurements go to the microcontroller. Posted by mbwalker (1 year ago)


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    #261 3 years ago
    Quoted from KenLayton:

    In the Spike system, the cpu board as well as all the node boards take 48 volts input and regulate it down to 5 volts. So you could have a bad node board.
    In my opinion a design that takes 48 volts and drops it down to 5 volts is a recipe for disaster. They should have used a separate power supply unit or board to provide 5 volts and leave the 48 volts just for operating coils.

    Photo in earlier thread showed burn between pins 1 and 2 -- that is between input voltage and ground of the 48 to 6V input regulator.
    Device is rated for operation with voltages up to 55 volts with an absolute max voltage of 60V. I'm guessing these are taking a heck of a jolt at the 48V input.
    They did put a bidirectional transient voltage suppressor (TVS) in there which is rated at 51V but has a clamping voltage of 56 to 62V with max clamp voltage of 84V. They may be trying to clamp down on the voltage but they appear to be using too high of a clamp voltage. Combine this with no current limiting between VBBC and VBBA for when the TVS is triggered and you have a recipe for disaster.

    #264 3 years ago
    Quoted from PinMonk:

    So if these have to be replaced, is it better to replace it with a TVS with an absolute max < 60V?
    And do you think these spikes would come from the power distibution board, or the power supply, or within the actual node board with something going out of spec and multiplying voltage?

    Unfortunately, with the way the board is designed, this may do more harm than good.
    The 48V is ultimately coming from their power supply but it has the coils on this voltage. Coils are notorious for spiking their power rail.
    I agree with Ken above - the 48V supply should be used by the coils only. They should have provided a clean, lower voltage rail for node boards and other low voltage supplies.

    #266 3 years ago

    Hard to say where the spikes come from since the bulk of the voltage clipping is the function of the back-EMF diodes.
    Based on the photo shown in an earlier photo, obviously there are still spikes.

    Pay particular attention to what happens to the 48V line at 3:45 in this video:

    If I am not mistaken, Stern changed to a switching supply for the 48V... is this correct?
    I have always believed that there is no substitute for big iron (big transformer) for the solenoid loads.

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