Electronics-Lab.com Blog

Vicor Corporation announced the expansion of its ultra-high density Picor Cool-Power PI31xx series of isolated, ZVS-based DC-DC converters optimized for 24 V industrial, 28 V aerospace and defense, and demanding wide temperature applications. The new converters retain the product series’ signature 0.87″ x 0.65″ x 0.265″ (2.2 x 1.65 x 0.67 cm) surface-mount package profile to provide up to 334 W/in3 power density and 2.25 kV input to output isolation. The new converters utilize an advanced Zero-Voltage Switching (ZVS) architecture and high-performance planar magnetics to enable IC-like density and greater PCB layout flexibility in space-constrained environments. The high-switching frequency (900 kHz) of the converters reduces input filter and output capacitance requirements, further reducing space constraints. [via]

Lots of Power in Very Small Volume - [Link]

The LT3651 enables fast charging of Li-Ion/Polymer batteries by delivering up to 4A of continuous charge current with minimal power loss. This is due to its high efficiency switchmode topology, including on-chip synchronous MOSFETs. Its autonomous operation means no microcontroller is necessary and the device integrates an onboard C/10 or timer charge termination. The LT3651’s programmable input current limit with PowerPathTM control regulates charge current to maintain a constant supply current, preventing the input supply from collapsing.

• Wide Input Voltage Range: Up to 32V (40V Absolute Maximum)
• Programmable Charge Current Up to 4A
• Selectable C/10 or Onboard Timer Termination
• Dynamic Charge Rate Programming/Soft-Start
• Programmable Input Current Limit

LT3651 – Monolithic 4A High Voltage 1 Cell Li-Ion Battery Charger - [Link]

Ray Wang wrote this post about voltage conversion from 24VAC to 5VDC.

Voltage conversion from 24VAC to 5VDC is quite useful, because a lot of home automation devices use 24VAC, including sprinkler solenoids, home surveillance systems etc. Having a conversion module makes it easy to use a single power supply, without a separate 5V adapter for your control circuit. There are plenty of resources you can find online about it. But these resources are rather scattered. So in this blog post I summarize and discuss the common choices.

[via]

24VAC to 5VDC Conversion - [Link]

Have you ever wanted to take a standard voltage op-amp and turn it into a high voltage output circuit? Here is a technique that requires some shunt regulators to power the chip and some current limiting transistor circuitry for the output. This example should work upto +/- 120V.

Make an Op-Amp High-Voltage Output Circuit - [Link]

by Ashok Bindra:

Whether for driving white LED backlights or powering RF and analog circuits, laptops, tablets and other mobile devices often require voltages that are much higher than the input supply voltage. Consequently, step-up or boost DC/DC converters generate output voltages that are several times the input to serve a variety of circuits and functions in these systems. For instance, in battery powered systems, the input normally is 5 V and below, while voltages as high as 15 and 24 V or more are needed to power RF/analog functions or drive thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Similarly, high voltages also are needed to bias avalanche photodiodes (APDs) found in optical receivers.

Generating High DC Output Voltage from Low Input Supply - [Link]

1A DC/DC switch-mode regulators TRACO TSR-1 already found their stable place on the market and they successfully replace inefficient linear regulators.

Switch-mode power supplies are still more used in all segments of power supply, to which also belongs a regulation on the side of the load (Point Of Load – POL). Perhaps every designer is familiar with classic linear stabilizers of the 78xx or 79xx series. It can be said, that linear stabilizers are still suitable for applications, where there´s not a too high power loss arising on them. But when we need to gain for example a 5V/0,5A from 12V, a power loss of approx. 7V x 0,5A=3,5W is arising on the regulator. That is already a quite considerable power, which requires a sufficiently sized heatsink and a place on a PCB. At nowadays power consumption decreasing trend, it is better preferable to eliminate useless losses, what also enables to produce a device, which is less heating, thus also being usually more reliable.

TSR-1 from company TRACOPOWER represents a pin-compatible replacement for 78xx linear regulators and it also contains input and output filtering capacitors. TSR-1 reaches up to 96% efficiency (80-90% in average) thus not requiring a heatsink. Depending on local conditions in your device, it is only necessary to observe power derating of 2%/°C at temperatures of the regulator above 60°C (if such conditions can occur in your device). TSR-1 also provides further benefits like for example excellent line and load regulation, resistance to a continuous shortcut and an industrial range of operating temperatures.

Available are 10 versions with output voltages from 1,2 to 15VDC. Detailed information will provide you the TSR-1 datasheet. In case, you need to obtain a negative voltage, then the TSRN-1 series is suitable for you.
In case of interest, please contact us at info@soselectronic.com.

Try the effective replacement for standard 78xx regulators - [Link]

Ashok Bindra writes:

In their most basic form, charge pumps are circuits that generate a voltage larger than the supply voltage from which they operate. Traditionally, charge pumps have been perceived to have limited voltage capability, offering performance that is seen as filling a niche in the range between low-dropout LDOs and switching regulators. Nonetheless, there are benefits that make them attractive for certain applications. For instance, charge pumps deliver higher efficiency with good thermal management and have the flexibility to step up a voltage, step it down, or invert the input voltage. Since they use capacitors to store and transfer energy, charge pumps also are simple to design and do not require an inductor, which can be more costly, has higher output-noise levels, and frequently lowers output-current capability.

Charge Pumps Tackle Higher-Voltage Applications - [Link]

LDOs Provide Output Current of 300 mA, Input Voltage of 16V and Noise Rejection of 70 dB. Steve Taranovich writes:

Microchip Technology Inc., announced the MCP1755 and MCP1755S family of CMOS Low-Dropout (LDO) voltage regulators. These LDOs have an input voltage range of 3.6-16V and deliver an output current of 300 mA at output voltages of 1.8-5.5V, while consuming only 68 µA of quiescent current (typical). Additionally, the LDOs have a shutdown pin, enabling them to consume less than 0.1 µA (typical) during shutdown mode, which extends battery lifetimes. The LDOs are offered in SOT and 2×3 mm DFN packages.

Microchip LDO voltage-regulator family with low noise and high PSRR - [Link]

Programmable DC, AC, current and high-voltage power supplies, electronic loads, UPS, inverters and chargers of low and high power – it is Elektro Automatik.

Common laboratory and testing power supplies can be found in an offer of many producers. However, when we need power supplies (including AC), electronic loads, UPS and other components for power supply and testing, which are able to handle tens and also hundreds of Amperes and power of tens to thousands of Watts, it is the right occasion to look at products of German company Elektro Automatik.

In a production portfolio of this company specialized for development and production of devices and systems for power supplying, we can found many components ideal for usage in production and for testing workplaces – for example adjustable DC and AC power supplies, current sources and electronic loads, etc. Many devices are programmable, that´s why they are capable of simulation of conditions in a real operation and they´re also connectable to some of common buses like CANopen, Profibus, ProfiNet, DeviceNet, Modbus, Ethernet and also RS232.

A comprehensive overview about these sophisticated products can be found in the Elektro Automatik catalogue (13 MB). Very interesting for laboratories and testing workplaces can be for example the EA-3048-B (35320148) power supply with 0-30VAC 5A, 0-30VDC 5A output, with a budgetary price of approx. 320 Eur.

Upon request, we´re able to provide you with any product of company Elektro Automatik. In case of interest, please contact us at info@soselectronic.com.

Elektro Automatik power supplies will manage even kiloWatts - [Link]

Steve Taranovich writes:

Linear Technology Corporation announced the LT8705, a very high efficiency (up to 98%) synchronous buck-boost DC/DC controller that operates from input voltages above, below or equal to the regulated output voltage. This device has four feedback loops to regulate the input current/voltage, along with the output current/voltage.

Convert any input voltage from 2.8V to 80V into a fixed output voltage or output current - [Link]