Wanted a design for a simple voltage regulator

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 12:35 pm

Another common sense circuit kit I want to make is a voltage regulator that will drop 12 or 9 volts down to 6volts. Purpose being for folks who want to use CCFLs and car voltage EL lamps and light strings. Something along the lines of the LM317. That would help a lot of Trek model lighter uppers operate some simple circuit kits close to the operating voltages of a lot of LED options.

A schematic, parts list, and a board circuit trace will help me get it into production. Earn your self a lot of big favors and product from DLM...just like the Photon Torp circuit challenge.

viewtopic.php?t=56203

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:35 pm

Would either of these work?

http://www.nteinc.com/specs/900to999/pdf/nte962.pdf

http://www.nteinc.com/specs/1900to1999/pdf/nte1960.pdf

Dan

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:37 pm

Jonas Calhoun wrote:Would either of these work?

http://www.nteinc.com/specs/900to999/pdf/nte962.pdf

http://www.nteinc.com/specs/1900to1999/pdf/nte1960.pdf

Dan

Yep Dan...those kind of things do the job!

I'm not an electronics engineer...And it's been a long time since I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. I use a Mac G4 still stuck in OS9 so I cant use them fancy pants Win-Dos free downloadable circuit design / simulator programs.

The criteria for this DLM "X-Prise" challenge is: a schematic, parts list and a copper foil path trace.

Phase II is I make art in Illustrator... to film positive then etch a board.
Call DigiKey up in Thief River for parts...Uffda...We got a kit!

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:53 pm

Oh...been a while since I've done a schematic, but with this sort of doohicky, it's really not a big deal.

Let me know if this helps, I'll try and get a schematic together, but I'll need to find a bit of software first.

Take the voltage source (the positive side of the battery, positive side of the wall wart, etc). Feed that to the Vin pin on one of those regulators. Take the negative side of the voltage source, attach that to the GND pin.

Now, from the Vout pin, you've got your 9 volts positive. The negative is still the negative side of your original voltage source--that is also tied to the GND pin.

Parts list: whatever you use for a voltage source.
1 NTE 962 voltage regulator w/ heat sink.

I'll try and dig up some software to get a better schematic and PCB layout. But let me know if this gets you started.

Dan

kitty · Post by **kitty** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:09 pm

Hi Don
Try looking up the SW033 or SW050 (respectively 3.3V and 5V) the company that produces those can make them for any voltage if you order 50 or more.
Those have the advantage that they are switched regulators and have internal capacitors . 3 pin layout 1= Vin (at least 1.3V above the desired voltage) 2= ground (negative) and 3= Vout which would be the desired Voltage.
They are a bit more expensive but have the advantage that they do not turn access voltage into heat.
(unlike normal voltage regulators like the 7805 that will decipate all voltage above 5V into heat. A property you do not want in a plastic model kit.)

My local electronics shop has SW033 and SW050 in stock and sometimes custom made 6V versions.