Running BS2 HomeWork board nonstop?
IceFirePro
Posts: 86
Hello, I am pretty new, just got my BS2 stamp and I'm curious about certain things, as I have good experience with BASIC language from before and I am into some more interesting projects that I can do with the stamp.
Question: If i power the HomeWork board with a DC adapter, can i keep it on all the time (for example, run a program that turns on the lamps on my model railroad at night and stops them in the morning); would such thing damage the board (running all the time)?
More on DC adapter: In the manual they say I should use a 6V adapter, although that the battery it takes is 9V - why?
Question: If i power the HomeWork board with a DC adapter, can i keep it on all the time (for example, run a program that turns on the lamps on my model railroad at night and stops them in the morning); would such thing damage the board (running all the time)?
More on DC adapter: In the manual they say I should use a 6V adapter, although that the battery it takes is 9V - why?
Comments
The Stamp (and any logic on your board) uses 5V which is provided from a voltage regulator on the board. The regulator takes any excess voltage and dissipates it as heat. By using a 6V adapter, you minimize the heat produced. The HomeWork Board is designed to use a 9V battery because it's small, light weight, and relatively cheap ... a good choice for an educational environment. Most small (educational) projects won't draw too much current from the regulator, so the extra power that has to be dissipated is not that important. For permanent projects, a 6V adapter or a 6V battery pack using 4 AA alkaline cells. If you want to use rechargeable cells, you'd need 5 of them (5 x 1.2V = 6V).
So, in such case, Vdd and Vin will have almost the same characteristic?