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Q&A Soft-start circuit behaviour

Let's take a soft-start circuit that looks like this: To my understanding, the function can be described as follows: C1 charges to open the gate. Value of C1 will dictate the soft-start delay...

1 answer  ·  posted 1y ago by Mu3‭  ·  last activity 1y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Question MOSFET DC
#2: Post edited by user avatar Mu3‭ · 2023-08-31T14:18:03Z (about 1 year ago)
  • Let's take a soft-start circuit that looks like this:
  • ![Soft-start circuit schematic](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/qalzx8onve1xu7zsttlcc6xs2fsp)
  • To my understanding, the function can be described as follows:
  • - C1 charges to open the gate. Value of C1 will dictate the soft-start delay.
  • - R2 and R1 form a divider that establishes a bias on the gate voltage once the FET opens.
  • - R1 also serves to discharge C1 after input voltage is removed.
  • This circuit works in simulation and in the real world.
  • ![LTSpice simulation results](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/5bstbwmwyz5d3l5to5rxi71eusko)
  • Here, $V_{in}$ in the input voltage, $V_{out}$ the output, and $V_{n001}$ in the gate voltage of the FET. $V_{n001}-V_{in}$ is then the gate-source voltage.
  • The capacitor starts charging and at a certain point a sufficient $V_{gs}$ is reached after which the FET will begin to open. This is clearly seen on the simulation. However, I am not certain why the R2/R1 divider is at all necessary since the soft-start fucntionality is achieved through the R1/C1 circuit.
  • Therefore the question: what is the point of using R2 in this circuit?
  • Let's take a soft-start circuit that looks like this:
  • ![Soft-start circuit schematic](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/qalzx8onve1xu7zsttlcc6xs2fsp)
  • To my understanding, the function can be described as follows:
  • - C1 charges to open the gate. Value of C1 will dictate the soft-start delay.
  • - R2 and R1 form a divider that establishes a bias on the gate voltage once the FET opens.
  • - R1 also dictates startup time and serves to discharge C1 after input voltage is removed.
  • This circuit works in simulation and in the real world.
  • ![LTSpice simulation results](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/5bstbwmwyz5d3l5to5rxi71eusko)
  • Here, $V_{in}$ in the input voltage, $V_{out}$ the output, and $V_{n001}$ in the gate voltage of the FET. $V_{n001}-V_{in}$ is then the gate-source voltage.
  • The capacitor starts charging and at a certain point a sufficient $V_{gs}$ is reached after which the FET will begin to open. This is clearly seen on the simulation. However, I am not certain why the R2/R1 divider is at all necessary since the soft-start fucntionality is achieved through the R1/C1 circuit.
  • Therefore the question: what is the point of using R2 in this circuit?
#1: Initial revision by user avatar Mu3‭ · 2023-08-31T14:14:37Z (about 1 year ago)
Soft-start circuit behaviour
Let's take a soft-start circuit that looks like this:
![Soft-start circuit schematic](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/qalzx8onve1xu7zsttlcc6xs2fsp)

To my understanding, the function can be described as follows:

- C1 charges to open the gate. Value of C1 will dictate the soft-start delay.
- R2 and R1 form a divider that establishes a bias on the gate voltage once the FET opens.
- R1 also serves to discharge C1 after input voltage is removed.

This circuit works in simulation and in the real world.
![LTSpice simulation results](https://electrical.codidact.com/uploads/5bstbwmwyz5d3l5to5rxi71eusko)

Here, $V_{in}$ in the input voltage, $V_{out}$ the output, and $V_{n001}$ in the gate voltage of the FET. $V_{n001}-V_{in}$ is then the gate-source voltage.

The capacitor starts charging and at a certain point a sufficient $V_{gs}$ is reached after which the FET will begin to open. This is clearly seen on the simulation. However, I am not certain why the R2/R1 divider is at all necessary since the soft-start fucntionality is achieved through the R1/C1 circuit.

Therefore the question: what is the point of using R2 in this circuit?