Hello!
Yes, I was thinking something like that, but was not able to find it.
After analyzing somewhat more, I'm finding that the problem seems more
subtle. Since the gain of the operational is >1, and there is a positive
feedback (the diode bias from the output), the output voltage should
build up until reaching the zener threshold and then stabilize. But it
only reach 2V, and remains there.
The zener is biased using a 2k resistor. A further examination reveals
that the zener also supplies a reference voltage to three sections of a
quad
X9241 digital potentiometer, through resistors (1k for each of two
sections, 10k for the other). The X9241 receives a 5V supply from a
MIC5205-5 regulator, that takes its input also from the output of the
main regulator. The X9241 is non-volatile, and has the I2C bus accesible
from outside the oscillator.
When the output voltage is locked at ~2V, the output of the MIC5205 is
also ~2V and in this condition is seems that the resistance to ground of
the X9241 sections (nominally 10k each) is a lot lower, so they load too
much the reference diode, and makes the voltage at the zener not to go
up more. So I suspect that the output of the MIC5205 is activated too
early, and when ramping up, it creates the lock-up. I've tested to put a
1000uF capacitor at its output to try to delay its turn-on, and then the
circuit starts up OK - the voltage at the reference diode is the
expected, the output of the regulator is ok, the output of the
oscillator is ok.
The MIC5205 has an enable pin, but it is tied to the input, and also has
a bypass pin in order to connect a bypass capacitor to enhance its noise
performance and power supply noise rejection, and this capacitor also
has an effect on the regulator turn-on time. There is in fact a ceramic
capacitor connected there. So tomorrow I will test to add some
capacitance in parallel with it and see what happens. Normally I would
doubt that the ceramic capacitor is bad, but I would also be surprised
that the design of the circuit is so marginal that a slightly faster
turn-on time in a secondary regulator is able to create this havoc :)
Best regards,
Javier
On 03.04.2014 23:41, Bob Camp wrote:
Hi
Normally that sort of circuit has a “boot strap” pull-up resistor that weakly
biases the diode to get things running at start up.
Bob
On Apr 3, 2014, at 11:08 AM, Javier Herrero <jherr...@hvsistemas.es> wrote:
Hello all,
I've a 1111C OCXO (inside a Symmetricom 5045A that is inside an Oscilloquartz
OSA 5585) that refuses to start. It seems that one voltage regulator is not
operating, with only 2V at its output while it should have (I think...) around
12V. I've partially analyzed the circuit, and it is nothing from other world: a
6.9V reference diode, driving an operational amplifier, driving a NPN
transistor. But the 6.9V reference diode is biased from the regulator output,
so... if the regulator does not provide output, the zener is not biased, and
then... the regulator does not provide output. So it must be some kind of
start-up circuit, that makes the transistor to conduct a bit, or to bias the
diode, when power is applied.
I've been looking around, but not found it yet. I have make a quick test by
placing a 6k8 resistor between the collector and the base of the transistor to
make it conduct, and then the regulator starts, provides adequate output
(12.5V), and also the 5MHz output appears.
Any idea is welcome :)
Best regards,
Javier
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