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[AMPS] Blown TL922A... What to do?

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Blown TL922A... What to do?
From: 2@vc.net (measures)
Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 16:40:37 -0700
>
>measures wrote:
>
>>>We may be talking about different transistors. Let's start again.
>>>
>>>Where in the circuit is the transistor that you say burns out in a
>>>glitch?
>>
>>In series with the grid current meter shunt.  This transistor must open 
>>to stop the flow of excessive grid current.  If the transistor has too 
>>much current, it C-E shorts.  
>
>I don't understand that circuit idea - who uses it? 

I do not know.  One of my customers told me that a transistor shorted in 
the grid protect circuit during a glitch. 

> It does seem a
>strange way of protecting against excessive grid current, under "normal"
>conditions of excessive RF drive, incorrect loading or low B+. That's
>before you even begin to think about its behavior under glitch
>conditions of huge overload.
>
There is obviously a better way.  

>All the circuits I've seen use the transistor to sense the voltage drop
>across the grid-current metering resistor. If there's enough grid
>current to turn on the transistor, it switches the amp back to standby,

the better way

>or something similar that will prevent RF drive from being applied.
>There is a design "gotcha" in that circuit under glitch conditions
>(which is what I thought you meant) namely that the overload - depending
>on its precise nature - can apply either large amounts of base current
>or a large negative base voltage. That's what the 10K resistor in series
>with the base can prevent. 
>
OK

>>>
>>>Why do you believe that it should be removed, if that also involves
>>>disabling grid current protection in normal operation?
>>
>>Grid current protection is disabled by the C-E shorted transistor.  By 
>>replacing the shorted transistor with a fuse or fuse resistor, protection 
>>is restored.  
>
>You're talking about protection under glitch conditions - severe
>overload. I'm talking about "normal" high grid current that can occur
>due to excessive RF drive, incorrect loading or low B+. 
>
My guess is that gold-sputtering is caused by caused by UHF.  

cheers

-  Rich..., 805.386.3734, www.vcnet.com/measures.  
end


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