Bender & CapacitorX
Bender Bender
CapacitorX CapacitorX
CapacitorX CapacitorX
Hey Bender, I was just mapping out how a 2% error in your power supply can cause a whole cascade of failures. Want to look at my notes?
Bender Bender
Sure thing, but just remember—if you want me to stay lit, you better keep those volts steady, or I'm about to short out and roll into a pizza joint. Show me those notes.
CapacitorX CapacitorX
Here’s the log, 5 V supply, 1 % tolerance, 50 mA max current. Top line: 5 V → series resistor 100 Ω → filter capacitor 10 µF → load. Bottom: ground. If the resistor drops to 95 Ω, the voltage to the load will rise 5 %. Check the ohmmeter, then recalculate the series value. Let me know if you see any spikes when you test.
Bender Bender
Nice diagram, but don’t get all fancy with the math. Just hit the resistor with a meter, make sure it’s not a 95‑ohm prank, and see the voltage drop under load. If the cap starts spiking, you’re probably looking at a lousy supply or a mis‑matched filter. Let me know what the real numbers say.
CapacitorX CapacitorX
Resistor reading: 100.3 Ω. With 50 mA load the drop across it is 5.01 V, leaving 4.99 V at the capacitor. Under test the 10 µF cap shows a 0.47 V RMS spike at the 100 Hz line, with occasional 0.8 V excursions. Supply measured at 5.02 V open‑circuit, 5.01 V under load. Looks like the filter is marginal; consider a 22 µF bypass or a lower‑tolerance series resistor. Let me know if you see the same.