High Voltage Power Supplies
This page describes how to calibrate the high voltage power supply. Proper calibration of the hvps-x provides an output error lower than 10V. Why calibration? The hvps-x reads the output voltage at two locations: at the output of the high voltage DC-DC converter and at the output of the terminal of the power supply. Internally, […]
Testing the high voltage components Now that all components are soldered on the board, we will check that everything is functional. There is an automated script that checks the hvps-x can generate a high voltage, that the voltage reading circuit can monitor the voltage, and that the optocoupler output stage works. The script apply a […]
Once the low-voltage part of the board is working as expected, it is time to assemble the high voltage side of the board. EMI shielding of the DC/DC converter The high-voltage DC-DC converter emits a lot of noise. This noise radiates to the surrounding components and affects the voltage reading circuit. It may also affects […]
Let’s check that things are working correctly before we solder the costly high-voltage components. Note: with the revised BOM v1.2 rev1, the input power supply has been changed to 13.5V. The screenshots show +12V, but it can be +12V or +13.5V, depending on which BOM you are using. With a multimeter, measure the input resistance […]
Take your soldering iron, as it’s time to solder a few components. We will now solder the low-voltage through-hole components. Solder switch S1 and set it to the 0 position. Solder connector J1 Solder the +5V/-5V DC/DC converter DCDC1 Solder the +3.3V DC/DC converter DCDC2 Solder inductor L1, cut the excess leads with pliers. solder […]
Although not absolutely necessary, we recommend testing the communication with the micro-controller once you have finished the first assembly step (soldering the SMT/SMD components). This enables you to confirm that the USB connector and the micro-controller are correctly soldered before continuing with the assembly. Indeed you wouldn’t want to spend time and money soldering new […]
Once you have your board it’s time to start the assembly. We will proceed in several steps, with testing at the end of each step to make sure the circuit is working as expected. The first step is to solder all of the SMT/SMD components. The silkscreen has labels for all the resistors/capacitors and ICs. […]
Release the kraken! The first version of the hvps-x aptly named “Release the Kraken” is now available. It’s time to awaken the high-voltage monster and make some sparks! All information relative to the high voltage power supply’s hardware is located on this page. Table of contents PCB schematic PCB details PCB assembly (PCBA) Voltage rating […]
A new PCB version is available: version 6 batch 1 Check out the schematics, and assembly instructions. What is new in this version? There is no modifications on the functionalities of the board. However, the previous version of the PCB had a bill of material relying on different suppliers, and with parts that were not […]
The release of hvps-x means the end of development and support for the original SHVPS described on this page. The files and instructions remain accessible, but we won’t provide upgrades or support. The reason for stopping support is that we don’t have any SHVPS left to work on, nor any LabVIEW license to work on […]