Salas hotrodded blue DCB1 build

look at a standard two BJT transistor CCS.
The resistor in the supply route has a Vbe across it from the control transistor.

The pass transistor is controlled by that second transistor.

A BJT has nearly constant Vbe over a wide range of Ic. This allows the resistor that is parallel to Vbe to see a nearly constant voltage and thus pass a nearly constant current.

The resistor sees a voltage and passes a current based on Vbe / R, eg. 620mV/ 220r ~ 2.8mA

The FET type CCS works the same way.
The resistor sees a nearly constant voltage and the FET passes that constant current to the load.
In the SALAS style, the voltage across the resistor is not from a second transistor.

The resistor voltage comes from the Vgs of the FET and the Vf of the LED string. Vgs of a FET is substantially constant over a wide range of Id.
Current is defined by [Vfleds-Vgs] / R, eg [(1.8*3)Vfleds-4.1Vgs] / 33ohms = 1.3/33 ~ 0.039A = 39mA

The supply transformer+rectifier+smoothing caps sees a near constant load of ~39mA + [the current through the LED string that runs initially parallel to the setting resistor and then to Ground].
 
Last edited:
Are these the right size for the PS section?

4700uf / 63VDC, MLytic® Audio Grade Snap-In, 30mm x 40mm

I'm going to order a few...

They are still too big. The caps need to be 25mm max diameter. You need the 40V version of those caps, if you can find them.

Unless you are absolutely commited to having Mundorf caps, Can I recommend the 4700uF / 63V, Nichicon KG Series, Gold Tune, 25x50 from PX:

https://www.partsconnexion.com/capacitor_ele_nichicon_kg.html

Or Panasonic TSUP are excellent PS caps.
 
Salas,

This is my first build so please bear with me. I'm a little confused with what I'm seeing printed on the board relative to the BOM. I see mur820 on the board but no mention of these rectifiers in the BOM. Is this the location on the board where I use the recommended mur840's for the 'stage 1' build?
 
Great, thank you Tea-Bag. I went ahead and splurged for the naked Vishay's you referred to earlier in the thread. I ordered directly from Texas Components and was quoted a two week lead time. Curious to hear how the tx2575's compare to the Takman's that are in the board.
 
Last edited: