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Propeller Demo Board heat issues? — Parallax Forums

Propeller Demo Board heat issues?

RussMRussM Posts: 27
edited 2013-03-22 09:11 in Propeller 1
I am working on a project that runs two US Digital optical shaft encoders (http://www.usdigital.com/products/encoders/incremental/rotary/shaft/h6?specification=single-ended-electrical) and one Parallax 4x20 LCD Screen and I notice the two chips between the power supply adapter port and the serial port get extremely hot when the encoders are running. Is this common or should I be concerned?

Comments

  • TappermanTapperman Posts: 319
    edited 2013-03-21 08:01
    RussM wrote: »
    I notice the two chips between the power supply adapter port and the serial port get extremely hot when the encoders are running. Is this common or should I be concerned?

    Hot generally is 'stressfull' ... what hardware are you using? PPDB, Proto?

    ...Tim

    PS - never mind, just saw the subject line. Sorry about that.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-03-21 09:31
    If you mean the regulator chips (3 leads on 1 side, 1 wide lead on the other side) then yes, they will get hot as more cogs are running and more current is drawn. If the encoders are powered from the board as well that also adds to the current draw.
  • RussMRussM Posts: 27
    edited 2013-03-21 09:42
    kwinn wrote: »
    If you mean the regulator chips (3 leads on 1 side, 1 wide lead on the other side) then yes, they will get hot as more cogs are running and more current is drawn. If the encoders are powered from the board as well that also adds to the current draw.

    Thank you for your feedback. It is indeed the regulator chips that are running hot. I am also powering the encoders from the board. Do you believe this is a damaging amount of current draw?
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-03-21 09:56
    If the regulators are not shutting down you are probably OK for the short term, however the hotter something runs the shorter the life expectancy. If you want to power the encoders from the board permanently I would suggest adding a heat sink to the regulators. Even a small U shaped piece of copper or aluminum in contact with both chips would make a difference.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-03-21 11:52
    Can you measure how current draw with and without encoders? Then compare to the operating parameters for the regulators?
  • TappermanTapperman Posts: 319
    edited 2013-03-22 09:11
    prof_braino wrote: »
    Can you measure how current draw with and without encoders? Then compare to the operating parameters for the regulators?

    Thats a good idea ... and if it turns out to be too much, consider the E4P (I have several). Much smaller and you can run 2 of them on less current than your present encoder.

    http://www.usdigital.com/products/encoders/incremental/rotary/kit/E4P

    ... Tim
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