Re: RE: Re: How do I get rid of noise spikes on my Power lines
From: Sandor Ajzenstat sandor
interlog.com
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 12:48:01 -0700
A! Sent via the Art & Robotics Group mailing list: arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx R! Use your "Reply All" to reply to the list, "Reply" for private response G! Hi again Jess, This is just a bit more detail on my experience with placing a 1uF nonpolar cap across Signal and GND where it entered a circuit board. As I mentioned the cap effectively filtered out all data pulses as well as noise spikes. The first thing I tried was to extend my high-going data pulse duty cycles by 50 NOP instructions (my PIC was running at 40MHz). This was not sufficient because the cap still filtered it all out. I then went right to 500 NOP instructions and this was sufficient, so I just left it at 500. If you're sending serial data as opposed to just discrete pulses like I was, and you think there is a chance that noise pulses are getting onto your Signal lines, then maybe part of your solution would be to reduce your baud rate. I should mention that after the capacitor conditioned my signal, it was necessary to put the signal through a schmitt trigger to sharpen up the transitions. Take care, Sandor ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Cannon" To: "Arg-List@Interaccess. Org" <arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 11:22 AM Subject: ARG: RE: Re: How do I get rid of noise spikes on my Power lines > A! Sent via the Art & Robotics Group mailing list: arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > R! Use your "Reply All" to reply to the list, "Reply" for private response > G! > > Great suggestions. Another is instead of a multi-supply use a simple 12v > supply, perhaps linear, and regulate down AFTER the long wire runs, at each > board, for sensitive electronics. Fans etc. don't care about reliable > voltage much. > > --Bruce > > PC switchers are fussy. They have min current draw for each output else > their outputs are not stable, sometimes not even on at all. If you aren't > meeting the mins with your lads, you might have to add dummy loads (big > resister) to get the system stable. I find generic PC supplies unsuitable > for most low-current applications because of hassles like these. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: The ARG Mailing List On Behalf Of Sandor Ajzenstat > > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 2:11 PM > > To: jessica field; arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Subject: ARG: Re: How do I get rid of noise spikes on my Power lines > > > > > > A! Sent via the Art & Robotics Group mailing list: > > arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > R! Use your "Reply All" to reply to the list, "Reply" for > > private response > > G! > > > > Dear Jessica, > > > > I have had great luck in eliminating spikes using 1uF nonpolar capacitors. > > Everything I'm describing here is related to things I needed to do for one > > piece in order to get rid of intermittent spikes. I would suggest picking > > up 10 or 15 of these 1uF nonpolar caps, as well as an assortment > > of smaller > > value nonpolar caps, and experimenting with them in various places. > > > > Step one. I would certainly suggest placing one across the power > > lines that > > feed the fan I would start by placing the cap as close as I can to the > > actual fan inputs.. Also, I would place one across the DC power lines > > wherever they enter any circuit board after running along a cable. > > Experiment with them in other places too. > > > > Step two would be to ensure that for long cable runs that your > > wire gauge is > > sufficient. Believe it or not I have found that to run 5 volts > > DC along say > > 20 feet or so I really need to use at least 18 (or prefferably 16) gauge > > wire. Otherwise the resistance which accumulates along the length of the > > conductor can weaken signal strength too much in relation to > > spike strenght. > > If you don't think wire gauge is an issue then skip this step and possibly > > return to it later if necessary. > > > > Step three. After having done the above, I still had intermittent spike > > problems, although they now occurred at different times. I found that > > placing a 1uF nonpolar cap across from Signal to GND where those wires > > entered a circuit board, completely cleaned up absolutely every spike. > > Unfortunately it also cleaned up all my data pulses too. In order to get > > around this I substantially lengthened the duty cycle for all my > > data pulses > > until they were of a long enough duration to get past the cap. > > To do this I > > just used a whole bunch of NOP instructions. This may not apply in your > > case because all your signals may travel via wireless, and not via copper > > conductor. Mind you, on a given circuit board spikes may be entering your > > signal lines, so it's worth thinking about. If your existing > > spike durations > > are very short in relation to your data transition durations then it ought > > to be possible to find the right value of cap to clean up spikes without > > affecting the data transitions. This would take time and experimentation. > > > > Step four. When you're next at Supremetronics, use diagrams to precisely > > describe your problem to Kirk. He's one of the younger guys behind the > > counter there. Kirk may be able to make recommendations or suggestions. > > > > Do not worry. There is a solution. The way to find it is by > > patiently and > > systematically trying things, and by keeping track of your > > progress in note > > form as you go. > > > > Generally, as I have done tests with various caps, I have left in > > place the > > ones I've already positioned, while adding other ones in other places. A > > complete solution may require numerous caps strategically placed in a > > project. > > > > Good luck, but you won't need it. You'll work it all out. > > Sandor > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "jessica field" > > To: <arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 6:20 AM > > Subject: ARG: How do I get rid of noise spikes on my Power lines > > > > > > > A! Sent via the Art & Robotics Group mailing list: > > arg-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx R! Use your "Reply All" to reply to the list, > > "Reply" for private response G! > > > I am using a PC power supply to power my electronic > > application. If I use > > the +5 V output that does not run when the Power supply's fan is on, my > > wireless network works perfectly. As soon as I turn on the other voltages > > and the fan in the power supply, I get noise spikes on my +5 V > > supply and I > > have no wireless communication. I need +12 V to run other > > periferials so I > > need to have my wireless working when the PC power supply's fan is on. I > > have designed my casing to have the PC power supply so I would very much > > like to use it so I don't have to redesign everything. I am on a > > tight time > > crunch to finish my project. > > > > > > I was wondering if anyone knew some good solutions. I have > > used a 220 nf > > capacitor on the positive and negative line to try to clean up the noise. > > It helps a bit but I still need a better filtering system. My electronics > > are on more than one board and my wireless transiever is > > relatively far from > > power supply and the Main board in wiring. > > > > > > Any help would be very appreciated. > > > > > > Jessica > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ------ > > > Don't just Search. Find! The new MSN Search: Fast. Clear. Easy. A! 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