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[Newbie] Supplying power to a project

I one of those folks who knows enough to be dangerous. I have a good
grasp of a lot of basics, but I'm missing a fundamental piece that's
really important for a project I'm doing.
I've built a nice little FM transmitter kit which I'm putting in a nice

wooden case which will have an iPod dock on it. The transmitter works
great. It runs best on 12V.

The iPod will charge at 12V. This, of course, could be a really nice
way to both be broadcasting and charging at the same time. That's my
intention.

I see the iPod will take 12V on the firewire power connectors, and it
says "1A Max".

The basic piece of information I'm missing is: I want to supply ample
power to the iPod and transmitter. Do I need to worry about supplying
too many amps? Is amps just a measure of what the device will draw
and/or use? And how can I know how many amps the transmitter is using?

And I ask all this fearfully, knowing that I may not even be asking the

question correctly.

Can anyone help me understand this, or point me to someplace I can
figure this out?

Thanks much!

P.S. I already have some nice links to simple voltage regulators to
help know I'm getting the right voltage there.
 
W

w2aew

Jan 1, 1970
0
The basic piece of information I'm missing is: I want to supply ample
power to the iPod and transmitter. Do I need to worry about supplying
too many amps? Is amps just a measure of what the device will draw
and/or use?

You don't have to worry about supplying too many amps. Each circuit
will draw the current (amperage) that they need. So, you only have to
be sure that your 12V supply can supply enough current for all of the
circuits connected. It's perfectly OK for the supply to have the
*ability* to supply more current than required.
And how can I know how many amps the transmitter is using?

Well, you could measure it with an ammeter in series with the supply
for the transmitter. Since you mentioned that it is low power (I'm
assuming low enough to be unlicensed), then the supply current is
likely several tens of milliamps to maybe a few hundred milliamps. If
you don't know how to calculate it from examination of the
schematic/design, and the kit/plan that you built it from don't
explicitly state the current draw, then you'll have to measure it (a
good idea anyway).
 
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