Testing Voltage Suppressors

[Pastor Del]

I've been tasked with testing some voltage suppressors. An engineer has given me the test setup & specs below, but all the components are failing. Should there be a load parallel to the suppressor in this test setup?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

What you're missing is a resistor in series with the PSU to limit the current, you're likely to destroy the TVS otherwise - setting a low current limit on the PSU would do, but is liable to mis-setting and destruction.

What part of the test do they fail?.

Personally I'm dubious about applying that much heat to them, you could be killing them by overheating. Assuming they fail at operation 5)?, then I would suggest doing 5) earlier as well, as operation 2.5 or so - and see if they pass then, but fail later.

 

[Pastor Del]

It doesn't get past step 3. At 1.5mA the voltmeter reads about 15.5V. The diode is a TPC18AHM3. Can you suggest a good way to verify its specs?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It doesn't get past step 3. At 1.5mA the voltmeter reads about 15.5V. The diode is a TPC18AHM3. Can you suggest a good way to verify its specs?

Have you tried reading the datasheet? - and where did the test specs you were given come from?.

 

[alec_t]

If the TVS must pass test step 3, then according to your measurements it fails the test. Report accordingly to the engineer. Perhaps the test requirements will be relaxed.