Quote:
Originally Posted by radiotvnut
It's situations like this that make me wonder why they couldn't stick with the simple STR30130 based voltage regulator system that was popular during the '80's and '90's? It was a reliable design, the parts count was low, and one didn't have to worry about the power supply running away with itself. About the only trouble one had out of this design was a defective STR30xxx or a resistor in the STR circuit. I guess the engineers sat down one day and said, "The old STR circuit is too easy to repair; so, let's use a switching power supply with discreet components that's much harder to service."
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Actually, it's the "green" effect - companies seeking the Energy Star or similar "feel good" efficiency ratings for their product. The STR30XXX supplies were linear in nature, wasted energy as heat, and weren't all that reliable. We would see Emerson and similar low-cost sets daily that had the STR blown, leading us to buy them by the "stick" - 50 units at a time, 2 or three times a year. We'd stick a V130 series MOV after the fuse and save the STR's from surges (lightning storms in the southeast...).
But I still hate the danged SMPS design. The military avionics I serviced in the Navy were full of them, for weight saving purposes, and they failed due mostly due to heat. Consumer electronics? No margin for any design deviation - heat, surges, shorts - just about anything and they crap out, not to mention the infamous "let's put underrated electrolytic caps in and see how long this switched-mode supply will last" effect - failure guaranteed 1 hour to 1 day beyond a warranty!
Good luck with your Orion!
Cheers,