Interesting Parts

[candre23]

Occasionally I'll come across a part that could be useful in a future mod, even though I don't have any use for it at the moment. I'd like to use this thread as a dumping ground for links to interesting parts that somebody might find useful. I'd very much like you to do the same. To get started:

Dual-color illuminated tact switch
3A adjustable voltage regulator (see circuit here)
Tiny 5V, 5A regulator (small enough to fit inside an atty tube)
DC-DC booster board (get 5-6V out of a 3.7V battery)

 

[redeyedancer]

Nice little list thanks man

 

[candre23]

Large metal pushbutton (illuminated, non-illuminated) - 21.5mm diameter including bezel, only 9mm deep.

 

[48lowes]

candre23
If I'm reading this right I could hook it right to the 12v dc cigarette lighter and come out at 5v dc? As in a passthrough for your car. Just like a lot of the car chargers do?
Tiny 5V, 5A regulator (small enough to fit inside an atty tube)
thanks

 

[candre23]

I wouldn't recommend using that regulator for a 12v PT. Any voltage above 5v is wasted as heat, and with a 12v source, that's a lot of heat to reject. You'd need a hefty heat sink to keep the chip from frying.

 

[48lowes]

Any voltage above 5v is wasted as heat

Candre
Ok that I can understand that, so I would be using this with series 3v or 3.7v batts? I'm still trying to figure out what chip is used in the Tom Tom without breaking the one I have. That takes 12v down to 5v at 2amps so I would like to build a passthrough with something similar. I shorted the TomTom adapter out and can't seem to figure out how to replace the fuse, so in fact it is already broken, but not destroyed. Looks like a 2 prong auto fuse that refuses to be easily removed. Any help with either question would be appreciated.
thx



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[candre23]

It's probably using a switching DC converter. Almost every power adapter uses them these days because they're very efficient. They are not nearly as simple to make as a linear regulator though, and I don't think there are any single-component switching regulators out there (at least not that can handle 2+ amps). Whatever chip the tomtom is using, it's using a lot of other components too. Your best bet is to take the whole circuit from an adapter like that and incorporate it into your PT.

Alternately, if you're not concerned about efficiency, you can use a linear regulator as long as you have a big enough heatsink. Don't use the tiny one that I linked, use a TO-220 package like the one Madvapes sells. If you're very careful, it will work as is. But I'd probably attach a larger heatsink to the chip just to be safe.