A while back, I published the Design Idea (DI) “Simple PWM interface can program regulators for V OUT V SENSE ” ( Ref. 1 )It showed some simple circuits for PWM programming of standard bucking-type regulator chips, both linear and ...
Applications such as turbidity measurement and densitometry require cleanly pulsed light sources with stable amplitudes. The LED driver in Figure 1 illuminates retinal neurons in a biological experiment that has similar requirements. For a given ...
In today’s world, both households and industrial facilities are exploring ways to improve power reliability by harnessing multiple energy sources, not just the electricity from the grid. One clever solution: Automatic transfer switch (ATS). ...
Boost converters are non-isolated DC-DC converters that step up voltage. In some applications, users expect protection against reverse polarity, short circuits, and other anomalous conditions. The basic PWM boost topology is shown in Figure 1. ...
Design Idea (DI) contributors have recently explored various possibilities for ON/OFF power control using just a momentary contact “shiny modern push-button,” many of which build off of Nick Cornford’s “To press on or hold ...
Isolated flyback converters usually evoke thoughts-or bitter memories-of custom transformers, slipped delivery schedules, and agency-approval problems. Off-the-shelf flyback transformers carry isolation ratings of only 300 to 500 V and rarely of as ...
Professional condenser microphones require a 48-V supply to charge the internal capacitive transducer and power the internal buffer for the high-impedance transducer output. You can use a simple boost converter, a filter circuit to reduce ...
LEDs need current to illuminate, and current usually flows through a power supply to an LED. A typical LED-driver circuit uses a transistor to provide current and a series resistor to decrease the voltage you apply to the LED. Unfortunately, the ...
We’ve seen lots of interesting conversations and Design Idea (DI) collaboration devising circuits for power switching using inexpensive (and cute!) momentary-contact SPST pushbuttons. A recent and interesting extension of this theme by ...
“Two halves make a whole” is a very old and often true maxim. For example, it’s almost always true when said about AC phase angle power control. You rarely want significant alternating half-cycle asymmetry due to the (usually ...