Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #07098



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Richard Weait crs0274@inforamp.net
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 21:01:16 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Solar Engine Question


At 07:54 PM 10/26/99 -0700, you wrote:
>here's the deal ....
>
>is it normal for 2 - 1381 'j' solar engines made from the same batch of
>parts to trigger at different times?


Yes. There are tolerances involved in all of the parts used
in a SolarEngine. Probably in _everything_ else in life, too!
I'd say that over all, tolerance is a good thing. However, you
are finding that you get different low level performance from
your SolarEngines.

Here are some typical specifications in your circuit:

1381-J trigger voltage 2.6 - 2.9 V
'Super' cap value -20% / +80%
transistor hFE 100 / 300
. . . et cetera

So the difference might not be the 1381-J, capacitors show a lot
of variation. Try swapping parts between the two SolarEngines.

Cheers,


Richard.

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