Hard disk protection diode?

P

pimpom

Guest
Does anyone have specific information about the protection device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in action
such as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not
difficult to see how such a device would provide protection
against spikes, over-voltage and reverse voltage by shorting the
power rail to ground and thereby triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I have
not been able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can
anybody shed some light on the matter?
 
I know I'm not directly answering your question, but...

The socket and power cords are polarized. It would be extremely difficulty
to insert the plug the wrong way.
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:
I know I'm not directly answering your question, but...

The socket and power cords are polarized. It would be extremely
difficulty to insert the plug the wrong way.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I expect that reverse voltage
protection would be a secondary consideration. Its primary
function would be protection against over-voltage, transient or
sustained. Something like a crowbar or TVS device, but without
the need for very low capacitance. A datasheet or identifying the
manufacturer would be a big help.
 
On Jan 25, 10:51 am, "pimpom" <pim...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Does anyone have specific information about the protection device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?
Click to expand...
The most important reason a hard disk would need a protection
device, is that the two power connections (motor power, 12V,
and logic power, 5V) have a sequence condition requirement.

So, the diode might clamp +12 to +5V so that a drop in the
motor power (like, normal power turnoff) doesn't result in
any short time during which the "+12" is actually at lower
voltage than the "+5". Or, it might ensure that the +12
supply never goes negative (which could happen if a
motor is active when power is removed).

Probably this diode is NOT a Zener type, which is
relatively important: high current Zeners often fail short-circuit
(which would halt the computer until disconnected).
 
"pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:glicbp$3i2$1@news.albasani.net...
Does anyone have specific information about the protection device at the
power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in action such as an
IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not difficult to see how
such a device would provide protection against spikes, over-voltage and
reverse voltage by shorting the power rail to ground and thereby
triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I have not been
able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can anybody shed some
light on the matter?
Click to expand...
BUX * devices are usually high voltage transistors

Arfa
 
"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:0S8fl.7569$1s3.4431@newsfe14.ams2:

"pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:glicbp$3i2$1@news.albasani.net...
Does anyone have specific information about the protection device at
the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in action such
as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not difficult
to see how such a device would provide protection against spikes,
over-voltage and reverse voltage by shorting the power rail to ground
and thereby triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I have not
been able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can anybody
shed some light on the matter?



BUX * devices are usually high voltage transistors

Arfa
Click to expand...
the PSU itself usually has overvoltage protection,where it really counts;on
the +5 volt supply. The +12 is loosely regulated,and only runs the motor
drive.some have "balance" nodes,that trigger SD if one or more of the
supplies go too far outside a window.

Then you don't need the expense of OV protection on every hard drive.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
 
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:21:34 +0530, "pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid>
put finger to keyboard and composed:

Does anyone have specific information about the protection device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in action
such as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode.
Click to expand...
Is it a transient voltage suppression diode?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_voltage_suppression_diode

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:07:31 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
<grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> put finger to keyboard and composed:

I know I'm not directly answering your question, but...

The socket and power cords are polarized. It would be extremely difficulty
to insert the plug the wrong way.
Click to expand...
It would require a very heavy hand, but I *have* seen it done.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
whit3rd wrote:
On Jan 25, 10:51 am, "pimpom" <pim...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?

The most important reason a hard disk would need a protection
device, is that the two power connections (motor power, 12V,
and logic power, 5V) have a sequence condition requirement.

So, the diode might clamp +12 to +5V so that a drop in the
motor power (like, normal power turnoff) doesn't result in
any short time during which the "+12" is actually at lower
voltage than the "+5". Or, it might ensure that the +12
supply never goes negative (which could happen if a
motor is active when power is removed).

Probably this diode is NOT a Zener type, which is
relatively important: high current Zeners often fail
short-circuit
(which would halt the computer until disconnected).
Click to expand...
I rather expect that it is similar to a zener diode in action but
more sophisticated than a simple discrete zener, perhaps with
more precise breakdown voltage, lower dynamic resistance and more
surge current capacity. And a shorted device is not uncommon.
 
Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 11:07:31 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> put finger to keyboard and
composed:

I know I'm not directly answering your question, but...

The socket and power cords are polarized. It would be
extremely
difficulty to insert the plug the wrong way.

It would require a very heavy hand, but I *have* seen it done.

In any case, reversing a 4-pin Molex connector will not reverse
Click to expand...
the polarity. It will just juxtapose the +5 and +12V lines.
 
Arfa Daily wrote:
"pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:glicbp$3i2$1@news.albasani.net...
Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device at
the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in
action such
as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not
difficult
to see how such a device would provide protection against
spikes,
over-voltage and reverse voltage by shorting the power rail to
ground and thereby triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I
have
not been able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can
anybody shed some light on the matter?



BUX * devices are usually high voltage transistors

Yes. But transistors have the BUX followed by numeric characters.
Click to expand...
These devices have a "C" before numerals.
 
Jim Yanik wrote:
"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:0S8fl.7569$1s3.4431@newsfe14.ams2:


"pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:glicbp$3i2$1@news.albasani.net...
Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device at
the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in
action such
as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not
difficult
to see how such a device would provide protection against
spikes,
over-voltage and reverse voltage by shorting the power rail
to
ground and thereby triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I
have
not been able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can
anybody shed some light on the matter?



BUX * devices are usually high voltage transistors

Arfa




the PSU itself usually has overvoltage protection,where it
really
counts;on the +5 volt supply. The +12 is loosely regulated,and
only
runs the motor drive.some have "balance" nodes,that trigger SD
if one
or more of the supplies go too far outside a window.

Then you don't need the expense of OV protection on every hard
drive.
Click to expand...
But there *are* such devices on every hard disk I've examined. At
least, I can't think of any other purpose (counting inductive
spikes as an OV condition). And not all PSUs are created equal. I
have seen such devices burnt out on several HDDs, even to the
extent of being literally blown apart.
 
Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:21:34 +0530, "pimpom"
pimpom@invalid.invalid
put finger to keyboard and composed:

Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in
action
such as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode.

Is it a transient voltage suppression diode?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_voltage_suppression_diode

Could be. In fact, I mentioned that in my second post. What I
Click to expand...
find surprising and frustrating is that I have not been able to
find any data on the BUX C*** series.
 
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:45:37 +0530, "pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid>
put finger to keyboard and composed:

Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:21:34 +0530, "pimpom"
pimpom@invalid.invalid
put finger to keyboard and composed:

Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device
at the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in
action
such as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode.

Is it a transient voltage suppression diode?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_voltage_suppression_diode

Could be. In fact, I mentioned that in my second post. What I
find surprising and frustrating is that I have not been able to
find any data on the BUX C*** series.
Click to expand...
This forum discussion is about TVS devices in hard drives:
http://forum.hddguru.com/seagate-barracuda-7200-st3300622a-300gb-ide-t9356.html

The above discussion refers to this photo of a Seagate HDD with two
TVS devices made by ON Semiconductor:
http://forum.hddguru.com/download/file.php?id=562

The parts have the following markings:

ON logo QE
R617

ON logo 620
LEM .

I can't find exactly the same parts in ON's datasheets, but here are a
few similar looking devices:

Unidirectional Zener TVS 13V 600W (marking = LEN):
http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NSB13AN-D.PDF

Zener Transient Voltage Suppressor 12V 600W (marking = LEK):
http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NSB12A-D.PDF

400W Peak Power Zener Transient Voltage Suppressor 5V (marking = QA):
http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NSA5.0A-D.PDF

600 Watt Peak Power Zener Transient Voltage Suppressor 5V (marking =
6QE):
http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NS6A5.0A-D.PDF

Here is a Vishay patent that discusses TVS devices with particular
reference to their application in hard drives:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/WO2008002421.html

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:13:23 +1100, Franc Zabkar
<fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> put finger to keyboard and composed:

The above discussion refers to this photo of a Seagate HDD with two
TVS devices made by ON Semiconductor:
http://forum.hddguru.com/download/file.php?id=562

The parts have the following markings:

ON logo QE
R617

ON logo 620
LEM .
Click to expand...
600 Watt Peak Power Zener Transient Voltage Suppressor, 12V,
Unidirectional, p/n SMBJ12AON (marking = LEM):
http://www.icbase.com/English/ic_search/just.asp?urlftp=/ONS/ONS26380605.pdf

The "QE" marking belongs to a 1SMA5.0AT3, 400 Watt Peak Power Zener
Transient Voltage Suppressor:
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/pdf-datasheets/Datasheets-23/DSA-454313.html

ON TVS/Zener Device Data Book:
http://www.mosaico-eng.com.br/arquivos/Data-Sheet%20Zener.pdf

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:19:08 +0530, "pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid>
put finger to keyboard and composed:

Arfa Daily wrote:
"pimpom" <pimpom@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:glicbp$3i2$1@news.albasani.net...
Does anyone have specific information about the protection
device at
the power supply inputs of hard disks?

I assume that it's a zener diode or something similar in
action such
as an IC that acts like a precision zener diode. It's not
difficult
to see how such a device would provide protection against
spikes,
over-voltage and reverse voltage by shorting the power rail to
ground and thereby triggering PSU shutdown.

Devices in the BUX C*** series seem to be widely used, but I
have
not been able to find a datasheet or other detailed info. Can
anybody shed some light on the matter?



BUX * devices are usually high voltage transistors

Yes. But transistors have the BUX followed by numeric characters.
These devices have a "C" before numerals.
Click to expand...
The BU? marking code appears to be used by ST Microelectronics in
their SMBJ series 600W Transil (TVS) range.

See page 2 of the datasheet:
http://www.st.com/stonline/products/literature/ds/5616.pdf

The BUX marking isn't listed, but it would appear that the "U"
designates a unidirectional device.

The "C" appears to be the manufacturing location, followed by a
numeric YWW date code.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
 
On Jan 25, 7:07 pm, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:
I know I'm not directly answering your question, but...

The socket and power cords are polarized. It would be extremely difficulty
to insert the plug the wrong way.
Click to expand...

I have come across these shorted protection diodes on 2 occasions now,
both on Digital Audio Recorders powered by external wall warts. If
the wrong polarity wall wart is used, you can get the wrong polarity
12Volts to the Hard Drive. This is shorted out by the diode, which
eventually burns to a dead short protecting the drive. On both
occasions replacing the diode restored the unit to fully operational.
Good job they are there IMHO.



Gareth.
 
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