A quick question regarding filter capacitor discharge rate

Sunnbobb

Journeyman
Joined
May 25, 2023
Messages
205
Location
Mount Vernon, WA
Tagline
Bikes, baseball and big amps.
#1
Hi gang, I'm back. I am just about ready to close up the box on a PL700 S2 that I did a full WOPL on including a WA protection circuit. All voltage and grounding tests have been performed, and the bias set.
I just finished a full powerup (outside of the Dim bulb tester), and everything checks out.
I have been faithfully attaching draining resistors to the filter caps between every test, and installation of the driver and output transistors.
However, out of curiosity, I began checking the rate of voltage drain of the big filter capacitors. To my surprise, as I lowered the voltage of the variac, (without the resistors attached) the capacitors would discharge pretty much to zero as fast as I could take the variac down.
With the final test, no variac and no dim bulb, when I shut the amp down, the filter caps dropped again, very quickly. I noticed when I performed tests on the backplane operation before mounting the transistors, the caps would retain a very high level of charge for quite some time. It was after I added the first row of drivers that I noticed the quick rate of discharge.
Before I take this to the next tests (meter balance and audio) I thought I would ask the brilliant minds here if this is normal?

The short version of the question: Is it normal for the filter caps to very quickly discharge after power down?

BTW thanks to Joe at White Oak for giving me a tip regarding the embarrassing results of a test i ran, and to Professor Mark Comer for the entertainment and great how to videos!
 
Last edited:

Hexis22

Chief Journeyman
Joined
Dec 28, 2022
Messages
675
Location
Wisconsin
#2
Yes, with the linear regulators on the control board and all outputs installed (and properly biased), the supply caps discharge much faster than compared to initial testing without either installed.
 

Gepetto

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
13,927
Location
Sterling, MA
Tagline
Old 'Arn Enthusiast
#3
Hi Richard,
The bias current (~40mA) that is established once you install the control board and drivers is the primary cause for the more rapid drain of the bulk caps.
 

wattsabundant

Chief Journeyman
Joined
Apr 26, 2011
Messages
932
Location
Central Ohio
#5
Speakers connected to an amp without an output relay have a "thump" a few seconds after turning power off. That is the result of the DC caps discharging to the point the front end transistors can no longer maintain a proper DC offset. As I recall the positive DC cap discharges faster than the negative.
 
Top