Question about the TPS54060EVM-590 evaluation board. I have high hopes for the clever circuit presented in application note SLVA369 using the TPS54xxx family to create split rail pos+neg supplies from a wide voltage input DC source. For our current design the Vin is 4.5 to 25 VDC and desired outputs are +5.5 and -5.5 VDC @ 100-200 mA each. Using the TPS54060EVM-590 evaluation board it's R2 & R3 v-set resistor are removed and replaced with a 10k pot. With the side of the pot that replaces R3 set to ~9.3k and the outputs not loaded the desired +5.5 and -5.5 VDC are seen at TP7 & TP9. When the outputs are loaded with 56 ohm resistors to draw 100 mA from each of the +- outs the circuit misbehaves. Measuring the total output between TP7 & TP9 the difference remains 11 VDC but measureing TP7 to GND & TP9 to GND the 11v total is no longer evenly split +5.5 and -5.5 rather its more like +6.5 and -4.5. Plugging the desired inputs and outputs into SWIFTPOSNEG-CALC-v3.xls with the device type changed to the TPS54060 the eval board is loaded with and the L1 values also changed to match the part on the board it tells me the circuit should be good for a total of 236 mA so my 100+100 mA load is close to max but not at or above it. One difference between the circuits shown in SLVA369 (figure 1 pg 3 & figure 3 pg 9 also copied in SWIFTPOSNEG-CALC-v3.xls) and the TPS54060EVM-590 evaluation board realization (figure 12 pg 10 SLVU374) I would like to discuss. In the app note version the U1 IC's ground pin is connected to ground. In the evaluation board circuit U1 IC's ground pin is connected to net N18V the negative output of the supply. Comparing the two it is hard to see the SLVA369 version where the TPS54060 controller is referenced to ground can actually work. I hope I am missing something because it then appears the evaluation board version referencing the switching regulator device to negative output does not have a means to hold the ground point half way between its outputs.
