I am trying to resolve a problem with a H7842 PSU from a DEC Rainbow. The AC
OK output is not being asserted. I am looking at Tony Duell's schematic
https://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/rainbow/duell_schematics/psu.pdf and
specifically at the Power OK circuit.
I am using a test load of 1R on the 5V output and 6R on the 12V output,
which is within the spec of the PSU. I see that under load the 5V output
is only 4.4V, so I suppose it is to be expected that AC OK is not asserted.
If I (briefly!) remove the load from just the 5V output, the 5V output is
5.27V, but the AC OK output is still not asserted.
Using Tony's schematic, I looked at the input to the inductor on the
secondary side (sheet marked "H7842 PSU Sheet 3") and it looks like this:
https://rjarratt.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/h7842-5v-secondar…
I can't tell if that is correct or not. If I remove the 5V load the peaks
narrow but are slightly higher.
However, the puzzling thing is the 5V Pulse signal, it doesn't pulse, it
is a steady 32V. I see that the 12V Pulse signal *does* pulse. The name
would suggest it is supposed to pulse and its inputs do pulse as shown in
the trace pictured above. I don't see how it is possible for 5V Pulse to
be at a steady 32V, even if the diode or resistor that create the 5V Pulse
signal was somehow bad. I guess this non-pulsing might be the problem, but
I don't really know what to check here, I have lifted the diode and tested
it, it seems fine.
I think it looks like the windings on the chopper transformer between between
pins 8 and 10 and between pins 9 and 10 are connected in parallel but I can't
be sure. It looks like these windings feed the two +5V rectifiers which each
consist of two diodes in parallel in a common package. The junction of thse
two (FE16B? and BYV72) is feeding both the +5V pulse rectifier and the +5V
main output, indirectly via two smoothing chokes, one of them marked
16-20387-01.
If you have +32V coming out of the the +5V pulse rectifier only +4.4V coming
out of the main +5V supply, maybe there is a break in continuity or poor
connection somewhere between the +5V rectifier output and the +5V output
connector? Could one of the two smoothing chokes be open circuit or have
a bad joint or could there be a break in a track?
Could you check what voltage is on "Raw 5V" between the two smoothing chokes?
Also check for a low resistance between the junction of the +5V rectifiers and
the +5V output connector (with the power off).
Less likely, could the C122 crowbar thyristor be operating or shorted?
(Don't try running the power supply with it disconnected or disabled in case
it is operating for good reason.)
Regards,
Peter Coghlan.