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DAC7552 Power Down Mode behavior if not yet serial programmed?

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DAC7552

Table 2 of the data sheet (on page 13) gives several options for Power Down behavior which can be selected by serial programming.  All of these options have DB12 high (12th bit of the 16 bit serial word).  

I believe this table tells us the DAC behavior when #PD goes low - when we enter power down.  The data sheet is not clear about this.

Or is the Serial Power Down command a separate way to get into Power Down than the #PD pin?  If so, where is the behavior caused by #PD defined?  

If we have previously written data to the device with DB12 = '0', which is required in Table 1 for all serial programming of the DAC in normal mode, and we have not yet written the Table 2 configuration information, what is the default behavior of the DAC in power down (Hi-Z, 1k, 100k on Channel A, on Channel B, both?)  The data sheet is silent about the default mode.  Do we enter Power Down at all if the serial condition is not programmed?  Could the part be confused or damaged?

We have not been writing this 'serial power down configuration' at all, but have been asserting #PD.  Two DAC7552 devices on two separate  boards have failed after working for a while, for no apparent reason.  Other boards have not failed.

Do we need to write the Power Down configuration serial command every time we want to assert #PD, or just once?

  • Hi Clay,

    Clay Karmel said:
    I believe this table tells us the DAC behavior when #PD goes low - when we enter power down.  The data sheet is not clear about this.

    That is correct this table set's the PD behavior after asserting PD pin.

    Clay Karmel said:
    If we have previously written data to the device with DB12 = '0', which is required in Table 1 for all serial programming of the DAC in normal mode, and we have not yet written the Table 2 configuration information, what is the default behavior of the DAC in power down (Hi-Z, 1k, 100k on Channel A, on Channel B, both?)  The data sheet is silent about the default mode.  Do we enter Power Down at all if the serial condition is not programmed?  Could the part be confused or damaged?

    The default mode is Hi-Z. You are right the default mode is not mentioned. This is a pretty old datasheet, but I will add this to our datasheet changes for when it is time to update it.

    Asserting the PD pin should not cause any damage to the device.

    Clay Karmel said:
    We have not been writing this 'serial power down configuration' at all, but have been asserting #PD.  Two DAC7552 devices on two separate  boards have failed after working for a while, for no apparent reason.  Other boards have not failed.

    This is not expected behavior from the power down. Can you share with me some more information?

    • What is the nature of the failure? High current consumption? Inactive output?
    • In what order are you power on the supplies?
    • What is the load on Vout?
    • Can you share a schematic capture around the DAC?

    Clay Karmel said:
    Do we need to write the Power Down configuration serial command every time we want to assert #PD, or just once?

    Just once is enough.

  • Thank you for the help.

    DAC failure mode is 'no output' (0V). 

    Power supply is 3.3v, single rail, all on a small board (no connectors or cables).

    Outputs of the DAC are driving high impedance.  One output drives the Offset input of an Instrumentation amplifier (AD627B).  The other drives a CMOS Mux circuit, 74HC4052, which in turn drives an input to the same AD627B via a series resistor (7.5k) and 1,000pf shunt cap.

    It is the Offset which becomes 'stuck at 0V'.