Debugging the Bridge: Tips for Successfully Designing (Full / Half) Bridge Circuits
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdBE0uZVZuapDpuaRApHci0TaciGqOCZNPSe0_5x36FvS_rgW5pdBOoOC9edUgxomRjPKGcrEbozqo1cw1QEiEswbkdJreHKLdon-NCXNB8kH-OnlFPV2zePjt66cMF8iiRyTbOa5GbOQ/s640/IR2110+-+2.png)
Fig. 1 - A typical high-voltage half-bridge section, using the IR2110 driver (Click image to enlarge) Fig. 2 - A typical high-voltage full-bridge section, using two IR2110 drivers (Click image to enlarge) Whenever I get a message or an email or a comment regarding unsuccessful bridge circuits, it’s usually along the lines of no output being observed, the MOSFETs getting hot, or everything just getting damaged or blowing up. When I was in the preliminary stages of bridge design, I also had repeated failures. I had circuits blowing up. I had circuits just not working, no matter what. I’ve written on my blog about one such experience of mine. You can read it here: http://tahmidmc.blogspot.com/2012/10/magic-of-knowledge.html In this article, I’ll talk about the first things you should do if your attempts at designing a bridge circuit have gone up in smoke or if you’re designing a bridge circuit and want to ensure everything has been done properly. Another thing I should mention is that