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Power Supply Design — Parallax Forums

Power Supply Design

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-09-03 20:26 in General Discussion
I am building a circuit that will be controlled by a Stamp II, but
powered by an LM2940 5 Volt Regulator (just like the one on the BOE).

Regarding the LM2940, it looks like I need to have a capacitor
between Vin and ground and another capacitor between Vout and
ground. Every book I look at, every article I read, every circuit I
see, has a different set of values for the capacitors. Even the BOE
uses a 1.0 uf tantalum cap between Vout and ground when the spec
sheet seems to indicate that... "The minimum output capacitance
required to maintain stability is 22 µF (this value may be increased
without limit). Larger values of output capacitance will give
improved transient response."

The Vin source will be a 9v transistor battery.

What values should I be using for the two capacitors? Do I need to
worry about using an aluminum electrolytic cap (for Vin and ground)
and a tantalum cap (for Vout and ground) given a relatively low
voltage source?

Thanks for hopefully clearing up a mystery!

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-09-03 19:58
    Whatever you do, don't run it without the caps. For some reason those
    regulators will sometimes go wacko and fail to regulate if you leave off the
    caps. The regulator gets hot and you burn up whatever it is you are
    powering.

    Keep in mind most of the examples in the data sheets and so-forth are for
    circuits powered off a DC power supply and not a battery. This could account
    for the difference in capacitor values.

    Original Message

    I am building a circuit that will be controlled by a Stamp II, but
    powered by an LM2940 5 Volt Regulator (just like the one on the BOE).

    Regarding the LM2940, it looks like I need to have a capacitor
    between Vin and ground and another capacitor between Vout and
    ground. Every book I look at, every article I read, every circuit I
    see, has a different set of values for the capacitors. Even the BOE
    uses a 1.0 uf tantalum cap between Vout and ground when the spec
    sheet seems to indicate that... "The minimum output capacitance
    required to maintain stability is 22 µF (this value may be increased
    without limit). Larger values of output capacitance will give
    improved transient response."

    The Vin source will be a 9v transistor battery.

    What values should I be using for the two capacitors? Do I need to
    worry about using an aluminum electrolytic cap (for Vin and ground)
    and a tantalum cap (for Vout and ground) given a relatively low
    voltage source?

    Thanks for hopefully clearing up a mystery!


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-09-03 20:06
    Thanks for the insight! Any idea as to what values I should be using?

    --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > Whatever you do, don't run it without the caps. For some reason
    those
    > regulators will sometimes go wacko and fail to regulate if you
    leave off the
    > caps. The regulator gets hot and you burn up whatever it is you are
    > powering.
    >
    > Keep in mind most of the examples in the data sheets and so-forth
    are for
    > circuits powered off a DC power supply and not a battery. This
    could account
    > for the difference in capacitor values.
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >
    > I am building a circuit that will be controlled by a Stamp II, but
    > powered by an LM2940 5 Volt Regulator (just like the one on the
    BOE).
    >
    > Regarding the LM2940, it looks like I need to have a capacitor
    > between Vin and ground and another capacitor between Vout and
    > ground. Every book I look at, every article I read, every circuit I
    > see, has a different set of values for the capacitors. Even the BOE
    > uses a 1.0 uf tantalum cap between Vout and ground when the spec
    > sheet seems to indicate that... "The minimum output capacitance
    > required to maintain stability is 22 µF (this value may be increased
    > without limit). Larger values of output capacitance will give
    > improved transient response."
    >
    > The Vin source will be a 9v transistor battery.
    >
    > What values should I be using for the two capacitors? Do I need to
    > worry about using an aluminum electrolytic cap (for Vin and ground)
    > and a tantalum cap (for Vout and ground) given a relatively low
    > voltage source?
    >
    > Thanks for hopefully clearing up a mystery!
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@y...
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-09-03 20:26
    If you plan to run off batteries, the Parallax values should be fine.
    Otherwise use the values off the data sheet.

    Keep in mind you can't run much off a 9-volt battery anyway, so why not use
    the Stamp regulator? Anything else that does not require a regulated source
    can be run directly off the battery.


    Original Message


    Thanks for the insight! Any idea as to what values I should be using?

    > Whatever you do, don't run it without the caps. For some reason
    those
    > regulators will sometimes go wacko and fail to regulate if you
    leave off the
    > caps. The regulator gets hot and you burn up whatever it is you are
    > powering.
    >
    > Keep in mind most of the examples in the data sheets and so-forth
    are for
    > circuits powered off a DC power supply and not a battery. This
    could account
    > for the difference in capacitor values.
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >
    > I am building a circuit that will be controlled by a Stamp II, but
    > powered by an LM2940 5 Volt Regulator (just like the one on the
    BOE).
    >
    > Regarding the LM2940, it looks like I need to have a capacitor
    > between Vin and ground and another capacitor between Vout and
    > ground. Every book I look at, every article I read, every circuit I
    > see, has a different set of values for the capacitors. Even the BOE
    > uses a 1.0 uf tantalum cap between Vout and ground when the spec
    > sheet seems to indicate that... "The minimum output capacitance
    > required to maintain stability is 22 µF (this value may be increased
    > without limit). Larger values of output capacitance will give
    > improved transient response."
    >
    > The Vin source will be a 9v transistor battery.
    >
    > What values should I be using for the two capacitors? Do I need to
    > worry about using an aluminum electrolytic cap (for Vin and ground)
    > and a tantalum cap (for Vout and ground) given a relatively low
    > voltage source?
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