# Blew up 5V Power Supply and ESC

**URL:** <https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724>\
**Category:** Blue Robotics Products\
**Created:** [December 11, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724 "2020-12-11T01:45:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nlcbryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c68b51/32.png) [@nlcbryan](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/nlcbryan)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/1 "2020-12-11T01:45:51Z")

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Hi All, currently I’ve a custom 20V power supply for the blueROV. And I’m using your 400V Topside power supply. Having issues of 20V PSU tripping when running thrusters in air, so we put a schottky diode (DSS 2x101-015A) in-line of the +ve side of PSU to prevent tripping.

It seems to work initially, but we had 2 occurrences when we turned on the PSU, we blew up the 5V 6A power supply and all the ESC’s!  
Is it something that I’ve done wrong? Would be much appreciated if someone can help!

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**Author:** ![Erlingns95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Erlingns95](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Erlingns95)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 8:25am UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/2 "2024-08-27T08:25:38Z")

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I know this was posted 4 years ago, but hopefully you still exist!

We are trying something similar, with using a [6S battery](https://bluerobotics.com/store/comm-control-power/powersupplies-batteries/mega-battery/) to supply the electronics enclosure. We made sure that everything was rated for the higher voltage before starting up, but it seems we might have blown the [5v power supply](https://bluerobotics.com/store/comm-control-power/control/bec-5v6a-r1/). Does anyone know why?? Is it probable that if we exchange the unit with a new one, the same thing will happen again?

I still don’t completely understand why this might have happened, but would like to know if anyone is able to explain. Whilst writing this, I realised we might also have blown our fathom x tether interface. I’m able to measure 25V on the power terminals, but the LED-indicators are all dead.

The battery was fully charged at 25.2V  
The power supply is rated 7-26V  
The fathom x is rated 7-28V

Are there any other factors than pure voltage that would cause these to fail? Is it an ampere-thing?

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**Author:** ![tony-white](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/tony-white/32/18385_2.png) [@tony-white](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/tony-white)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/3 "2024-08-27T16:36:37Z")

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Hi @Erlingns95 -  
The T200 thruster is only rated for a maximum of 20V. You can read more about that [here](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/r3-esc-does-it-allow-me-to-use-24-volt-batteries/2084/2), as linked on the Product Page.  
When using the system at the higher voltage, the thrusters likely caused a voltage spike when used under load?

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**Author:** ![Erlingns95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Erlingns95](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Erlingns95)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/4 "2024-08-27T16:52:44Z")

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Hey Tony, thanks for the quick reply.

We are not using any T200 thrusters, as a matter of fact no thrusters were connected at the time. Only the 5V power supply, fathom-x and navigator/pi4. We want to be able to supply the whole thing using only 6S BR batteries, so this was only a test.

Power supply started smoking immediately, and the fathom-x never worked after testing with the 6S battery. The battery was connected for about 3 seconds, max. This is not supposed to happen, right? Have you tried supplying an electronics enclosure with a 6S?

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**Author:** ![tony-white](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/tony-white/32/18385_2.png) [@tony-white](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/tony-white)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 5:09pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/5 "2024-08-27T17:09:48Z")

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Hi @Erlingns95 -  
The Fathom-X, 5V power supply, and Power Sense Module should all take the 6S voltage without issue - but do not have reverse polarity protection! Could the connection have been made backwards? It may be worth testing with a power supply that has the voltage gradually increased…

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**Author:** ![Erlingns95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Erlingns95](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/Erlingns95)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/6 "2024-08-27T17:22:54Z")

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I cannot imagine how the polarity could have been reversed. The unit we are testing on has been used with a normal 4S battery for ages. No changes has been done, and the battery connector only fits one way.

If we try again with a new fathom-x, new 5V power supply, and video tape it, would it be possible to get some replacement units if the same thing happens again?

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**Author:** ![tony-white](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/discuss.bluerobotics.com/tony-white/32/18385_2.png) [@tony-white](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/u/tony-white)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 5:39pm UTC](https://discuss.bluerobotics.com/t/blew-up-5v-power-supply-and-esc/8724/7 "2024-08-27T17:39:54Z")

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Hi @Erlingns95 -  
Please reach out via the support [form](https://bluerobotics.com/contact/#contact-us-form) to arrange replacement parts (report a problem with a product). If the order is recent enough, this shouldn’t be an issue!
