Author Topic: PNP High Side Switch?  (Read 3297 times)

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Offline Falcon69Topic starter

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PNP High Side Switch?
« on: August 24, 2014, 09:30:44 pm »
So, I'm trying to understand a circuit i have drawn up (only partial of the circuit for viewing). And Also trying to select the correct transistor.

Now, I understand that in many applications that a Low Side Switch using an NPN transistor is better then a High Side Switch using a PNP, However, for my application, I must tie multiple LED grounds together and control them from the positive side of each of them. (no way around this, as the LED assemblies I have bought are wired this way).

So, I'm trying to understand why, in simulation, that the voltage and the current going through this PNP transistor is negative voltage/current?

I'm just having trouble understanding how the high side switch PNP transistor is taking the positive voltage and current, and changing it to a negative, then back into a positive to light the led.

When choosing a PNP transistor, do I have to choose one with negative current/voltage?  I ask this, because I'd like to have both an NPN and a PNP in one chip. 

Would this chip work okay?

http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/302/PBSS4230PANP-354962.pdf
 

Offline Dave

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Re: PNP High Side Switch?
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2014, 12:00:43 am »
It's not turning any voltage or current into negative, or vice versa. You are looking at it the wrong way.

In order to "open" a PNP transistor, you need to apply a negative voltage to the BE junction (as opposed to NPN transistors, where UBE needs to be positive). That's all there is to it.
When you are speaking of voltages, you are just talking about the differences of potentials. So if you are looking at UCE, it will actually be negative in your circuit. Write it down as UEC and it becomes positive.

It's all relative!

The chip you picked looks alright to me.
<fellbuendel> it's arduino, you're not supposed to know anything about what you're doing
<fellbuendel> if you knew, you wouldn't be using it
 

Offline Falcon69Topic starter

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Re: PNP High Side Switch?
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2014, 12:10:27 am »
Alright, thank you Dave. 
 


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