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Electronic load for split/bipolar supply testing

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Beakman:
Hello All,

Researching here and on the wider web I've seen dozens of designs for programmable electronic loads, but none! for testing both positive and negative currents simultaneously as necessary for testing split or bipolar power supplies. 

Can someone point me towards an existing design or comment on how to modify a normal "positive" load for use in with negative voltages.  This assumes that the positive and negative voltages share a common ground.

Thanks!

OM222O:
It's literally called a class A amplifier (or AB). Instead of using 1 fet connected to a shunt which goes to ground, you use 2 fets in common source configuration (AB) or pre bias the fet (A). I personally recommend AB since it's easier to implement.

Do some research on that topic and let me know if you have any questions regarding that.

Howardlong:

--- Quote from: Beakman on August 09, 2020, 04:20:32 pm ---Hello All,

Researching here and on the wider web I've seen dozens of designs for programmable electronic loads, but none! for testing both positive and negative currents simultaneously as necessary for testing split or bipolar power supplies. 

Can someone point me towards an existing design or comment on how to modify a normal "positive" load for use in with negative voltages.  This assumes that the positive and negative voltages share a common ground.

Thanks!

--- End quote ---

What current and voltage ranges?

Beakman:
Funny, I had just begun contemplating the similarities of what I want  to do to the way power amplifiers draw current from their power supplies.

In my work power supplies are normally +/-15 to 18V, up to 10A per rail.  If I was going to build something I would want it to handle +/-24V at 10A.

Programmability is a requirement, voltage and current readouts a nice luxury.

Beakman:
These are cheap and have nice heatsinking:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/250W-Electronic-Load-Battery-Capacity-Tester-Testing-Module-Discharge-Board-E6V9/254649147899?hash=item3b4a45a1fb:g:3vIAAOSwKrJfBwbX

Using two of these loads in tandem would be quick and easy but I don't know if it would be possible to get a schematic for them with an eye to modifying one for use on the negative rail.

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