L
Larry Green
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
Hi Folks,
I wonder if any of the hobby project designers on here can help me with a
hobby project headache I have created for myself ;-)
I have been away from designing hobby circuits for a number of years and I
am obviously very rusty. I have been asked to come up with a design for a
hobby related circuit and while the majority of the circuit is fine (after
some help from the guys here) the power supply side remains unfinished. I
have spent over 70 hours researching power supply options and I am now
suffering from major information overload to the point where I can no longer
see the woods for the trees (I am also disabled and the brain fogs
associated with that are not helping either!)
Basically I have a battery powered device that uses a PIC microcontroller
with a few switches and a piezo buzzer (plus a few diodes, caps, resistors
etc.). I am sure there must be other people out there designing simple
battery powered PIC projects but what are you guys using for a regulated
supply for the PIC? The options I have looked at are below with comments as
to my findings. I will be building on 'Vero' type protoboard BTW as I do not
have the equipment to make my own boards and it is an extra cost which I
cannot justify with this project.
Linear Regulator
Pros - Cheap, readily available, the old faithful regulator.
Cons - Supply voltage is not high enough at 6V to give a regulated 5V
output.
LDO Regulator
Pros - Fairly cheap, readily available.
Cons - I am not sure if my supply voltage is enough to give a regulated 5V
output.
Charge Pumps
Pros - Ideal for the job, readily available.
Cons - Only available as tiny SMT components (MSOP), 'surf boards' are
expensive, parts are too small for my aging eyes and hands to hand solder,
increased expense.
DC-DC Converters
Pros - Ideal for the job, readily available in DIP packages.
Cons - Difficult to source inductors, Schottky diodes and low ESR 'through
hole' capacitors, increased expense.
'Roman Black' Regulator
Pros - Simple, effective, uses discrete components, cheap.
Cons - Supply voltage is not high enough at 6V to give a regulated 5V
output.
So there are my findings! I have put a circuit diagram on the web so that
you can see what I am trying to do and have an idea of load in the circuit
etc. It can be found at the address below......
http://www3.sympatico.ca/larry.green/circuit_diagram_v4.gif
Do any of you guys have any suggestions/ideas/comments regarding a suitable
power supply for this project.
Any comments/help will be gratefully received as I am now at the point where
I am starting to tear my hair out.....lol.
Larry Green VE3YET
I wonder if any of the hobby project designers on here can help me with a
hobby project headache I have created for myself ;-)
I have been away from designing hobby circuits for a number of years and I
am obviously very rusty. I have been asked to come up with a design for a
hobby related circuit and while the majority of the circuit is fine (after
some help from the guys here) the power supply side remains unfinished. I
have spent over 70 hours researching power supply options and I am now
suffering from major information overload to the point where I can no longer
see the woods for the trees (I am also disabled and the brain fogs
associated with that are not helping either!)
Basically I have a battery powered device that uses a PIC microcontroller
with a few switches and a piezo buzzer (plus a few diodes, caps, resistors
etc.). I am sure there must be other people out there designing simple
battery powered PIC projects but what are you guys using for a regulated
supply for the PIC? The options I have looked at are below with comments as
to my findings. I will be building on 'Vero' type protoboard BTW as I do not
have the equipment to make my own boards and it is an extra cost which I
cannot justify with this project.
Linear Regulator
Pros - Cheap, readily available, the old faithful regulator.
Cons - Supply voltage is not high enough at 6V to give a regulated 5V
output.
LDO Regulator
Pros - Fairly cheap, readily available.
Cons - I am not sure if my supply voltage is enough to give a regulated 5V
output.
Charge Pumps
Pros - Ideal for the job, readily available.
Cons - Only available as tiny SMT components (MSOP), 'surf boards' are
expensive, parts are too small for my aging eyes and hands to hand solder,
increased expense.
DC-DC Converters
Pros - Ideal for the job, readily available in DIP packages.
Cons - Difficult to source inductors, Schottky diodes and low ESR 'through
hole' capacitors, increased expense.
'Roman Black' Regulator
Pros - Simple, effective, uses discrete components, cheap.
Cons - Supply voltage is not high enough at 6V to give a regulated 5V
output.
So there are my findings! I have put a circuit diagram on the web so that
you can see what I am trying to do and have an idea of load in the circuit
etc. It can be found at the address below......
http://www3.sympatico.ca/larry.green/circuit_diagram_v4.gif
Do any of you guys have any suggestions/ideas/comments regarding a suitable
power supply for this project.
Any comments/help will be gratefully received as I am now at the point where
I am starting to tear my hair out.....lol.
Larry Green VE3YET