At 09:52 AM 11/7/02 -0600, you wrote:
>Do any of you have any standard torture tests that test your products
>against common levels of noise and spikes?  I am not interested in formal
>EMC testing at a lab, just something that can be homebrewed.   We have a
>machine we use that consists of a lamp dimmer with a 100 watt lamp, a
>couple of heavy duty contactors that clack each other on and off, and an
>electric mixer connected to one of the clacking relays going rrumm rrrumm
>rrumm.   It is an extremely crude machine, but pretty effective at making
>noise.  I am wondering if anyone else does this sort of testing.

I'll admit to it. An old Weller 250W soldering gun, a CB radio at
close range, and I've used a 50 lb transformer with the primary
energized by dragging a wire over a woodworking file. ;-)

It's still hard to predict with 100% confidence what will happen when
100A/480V or 600V is mechanically switched in close proximity to your
circuit, or when  the 300A Lincoln arc welder starts up.

Best regards,

Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..."            "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog  Info for designers:  http://www.speff.com

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