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???
03/28/04 19:37
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#67550 - BE CAREFUL!
Responding to: ???'s previous message
Hallo Bartosz,

I just had a look at the schematic. I see two points, where the high supply current can result from:

1. U4 (OP491) has RC filters at outputs. If R is omitted and only C is present, operational amplifier might oscillate. But this would hardly cause such an excessive increase of supply current.

2. More probably: You have soldered an electrolytic capacitor (tantal or aluminium) with wrong polarity!! This can cause excessive supply current, which is only limited then by the internal SOAR protection circuitry of LM78L05!
Keep in mind, that many tantal electrolytic capacitors in SMD package show a confusing stamp: The black dash is NOT marking 'Minus' as it is with many standard aluminium electrolytics, but 'Plus'. When SMD components came to the market, I did the same mistake and my circuit also suffered from strange supply current increase. Then I learned that SMD tantals are marked differently...

BE VERY CAREFUL! REVERSE SOLDERED ELECTROLYTICS FIRST BECOME ABNORMALLY HOT, BUT THEN CAN EXPLODE! IF SUPPLY CURRENT IS NOT LIMITED, THEY CAN EXPLODE IMMEDIATELY!!

Kai

List of 11 messages in thread
TopicAuthorDate
Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
   RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
   RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
      RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
         BE CAREFUL!            01/01/70 00:00      
            RE: BE CAREFUL!            01/01/70 00:00      
               Just measure!!            01/01/70 00:00      
                  RE: Just measure!!            01/01/70 00:00      
   RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
   RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      
      RE: Excessive power usage.            01/01/70 00:00      

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