zener clamp for max1044?

[Ed G.]

There was some discussion about how to protect a charge pump ic from over-voltage, but it kind of strayed off course so I was thinking about this, and decided to start up a new thread.

Could you use a 9.1v zener at the input to ground to short out any excess voltage and protect the chip?
Someone mentioned using a zener to drop voltage, but I saw no mention of using it to clamp.

Something to think about by those smarter than I.

[soulsonic]

I'm not real savvy on clamps, but that's pretty much what I was suggesting - it seems the easiest a surest solution, especially when you think about the potential for static damage. I think that static damage could be an issue with any of the different charge pumps in this family because they are CMOS devices. I think some of the ones that have died may have been killed by static. I think a good static protection scheme should be devised.

[Ed G.]

Funny thing, the Klon and the Maxon 820 both use these charge pump ICs. I've not heard of failure problems with either of these pedals and you know people are sticking them on their pedalboards and hooking them up to power supplies. I've seen an "alleged" klon schem and I didn't see any protection circuitry there.

[the_random_hero]

Funny thing, the Klon and the Maxon 820 both use these charge pump ICs. I've not heard of failure problems with either of these pedals and you know people are sticking them on their pedalboards and hooking them up to power supplies. I've seen an "alleged" klon schem and I didn't see any protection circuitry there.

I've got sent a 'verified' (or so I was told) Klon schematics and you are correct - there's no protection circuitry at all.