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frustrated newbie here about adjustable voltage regulators — Parallax Forums

frustrated newbie here about adjustable voltage regulators

BadgerBadger Posts: 184
edited 2012-06-30 07:18 in BASIC Stamp
Hello

I have a boe and i do not wish to harm it.. I have searched the forums here, googled, webcrawled, dogpiled, and search parallax site it self. I can not find any thing specific that would lead my hard head to learn how to hook up an adjustable voltage regulator to my boe so i can drum up enough power to start a dc relay to kick in my external power unit. by the way i still dont know how to hook up the 12vdc relay..

and since i am such a newbie i am a little kid do to the fact that i dont know how to read schematic so i need pictures of the circuits

I know there is come kind people out there with good hearts and have the patients to help point me in the correct direction. I just need a simple picture of a circuit of what i have explained so i can study it and learn what i need to know..

any takers out there.

Please

thanks in advance

Philip King the Badger

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-08-27 16:14
    You need to learn how to read simple schematics. You are like someone who wants to learn how to repair modern automobiles, but can't read. There is no getting around it. Get some introductory books out of your local library. The Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) has some introductory books. There are on-line free "learn electronics" books that have been mentioned in other threads. The Wikipedia has several pages on schematics and electronics symbols (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_diagram).

    Here is one adjustable voltage regulator "do it yourself": www.ladyada.net/library/equipt/diypsupp.html.

    Note that this "do it yourself" version doesn't have a heatsink because it's intended only for low current situations. The voltage regulator has to dissipate any extra voltage as heat. For example, if the input to the regulator is 12V and the output is 7V, the difference (5V) has to be dissipated as heat. The amount of heat (Watts) depends on the current through the regulator. If whatever you're supplying draws 1 Ampere, that's Watts = Volts x Amperes or 5V x 1A = 5W. The regulator will get quite hot and will probably shut down from overheating without a heatsink.

    Post Edited (Mike Green) : 8/27/2008 4:23:11 PM GMT
  • BadgerBadger Posts: 184
    edited 2008-08-28 01:29
    Hello Mike Green

    sorry to put that in such away but at the time i was frustrated about other things like not having any thing to build a base for my little project. You are correct i do need to do some reading and i will. I just wanted to get through this pretty quickly and pick up the other later. I will follow your advice but i also wanted to thank you for giving that link for the relay.. Just wanted to let you know how much help this has been thanks again


    Philip King
  • metron9metron9 Posts: 1,100
    edited 2008-08-28 03:04
    "I just wanted to get through this pretty quickly"

    Been there done that, just remember sometimes you learn more during the time you are resting. Many people will tell you, especially in this business they come up with answers after they take a break or wake up the next day. Hit it hard during the day and into the wee hours but if you get really frustrated remember it takes time for such new information to propagate through your brain. Read and read and read and dont worry if at first you don't understand everything you read, at some point the information you read will all start to gell and you will say ah ha! I get it now!

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Think Inside the box first and if that doesn't work..
    Re-arrange what's inside the box then...
    Think outside the BOX!
  • sam_sam_samsam_sam_sam Posts: 2,286
    edited 2008-08-28 11:32
    Mike Green

    Here is one adjustable voltage regulator "do it yourself": www.ladyada.net/library/equipt/diypsupp.html.

    Thank you for that link that look real good

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    ··Thanks for any·idea.gif·that you may have and all of your time finding them

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    Sam
  • dlhyltondlhylton Posts: 1
    edited 2012-06-29 09:01
    A great reference to learn how to hook up adjustable voltage regulators is below:

    http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/How-to-connect-an-adjustable-voltage-regulator

    This site contains a simple diagram, which is easy to follow.

    Hopefully, this solves your problem.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-30 07:18
    Actually, the pdf for the LM317 offers quite a bit of info.

    It can be used for a constant voltage regulator; or turned 'sideways' and used as a constant current regulator. You can put the two together and have a constant voltage and constant current source (sometimes handy to charge batteries without cooking them until they boil and smoke).

    A lot of people have written about this device - just watch out for typos and the 'uninformed blogger'. Use the PDF to verify everything.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LM317
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