Simple comparator not working, voltage dropped

Thread Starter

Vindhyachal Takniki

Joined Nov 3, 2014
594
1. I have made a simple single supply comparator, ckt is attached.
2. Mosfet I have used in N-channel , with Vgs = 4V. (part number is different as mentioned in ckt).
Supply voltage range is 5V - 6.5V.
3. I have to cut the output when voltage crosses above 6.5V.
4. I have tried three different comparator with LM311 as attached, OP07 & 741 also. All have same problem.

5. Problem is:

If difference at Vin- & Vin+ is high then opamp/comarator works fine i.e full swing at output, which turn off/on mosfet completely & circuit is switched off/on accordingy.

But when voltage difference at vin- & vin+ is very low or almost equal, output voltage of opamp falls. From 6.5V it remain 4.5V or nearby. Dut to mosfet don't get on/off properly & drop across mosfet occurs.. I don 't understand why this problem.
 

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ronv

Joined Nov 12, 2008
3,770
Comparators often oscillate right at the threshold voltage. That may be what is happening to you. You can add a 1 meg resistor from the output to the + input to make it switch clean.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,228
Why no decoupling capacitors?
Why no connections on pins 5 & 6?
Are you sure the output is not oscillating?

Edit: ronv beat me to it.
Hysteresis is common on comparators for this very reason.
 

MikeML

Joined Oct 2, 2009
5,444
If a NFET has a published Vgs threshold of 4V, it takes a Vgs of about 6 to10V to actually turn it on. You would have to use an NFET with an Vgs(th) of less than 2V to make this work. I would recommend replacing the NFet with an NPN Darlington...

This circuit has no hysteresis, so will rapidly switch on/off as the battery voltage decreases.

You might be interested in following this thread.
 
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