For years, a recurring theme in my DIY projects has been a "cheap" DC supply from AC Mains .... and to that end Wall-Warts have generally been the answer ... But sometimes a Wall-Wart simply isn't a good answer ....
Over the years I have spent many, MANY hours conjuring up cost effective DIY solutions ... and like most DIY solutions they all fundamentally failed in at least one (and generally more) of the important four categories:
1) Safety
2) Cost
3) Reliability
4) Efficiency
Recently I have been working on a project that really isn't suited for a Wall-Wart and needs less than 75mA @ 5V .... the temptation to use a voltage divider + capacitor arrangement was strong! But before I wandered too far down the path of dangerous, unreliable and inefficient heaters, I checked ebay ... and guess what?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-AC-D...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Yep, for ~$1.40 each my problem would appear to be solved, and it appears (once they arrive and I can determine the spacing) I will be able to design my DIY project's PCB so that this power supply can simply be mounted (like a daughter-board) via 4 header pins!
I am sure everyone reading this has known about these little modules for years and that I am the last to find out about them, but in the event there is anyone else out there who hasn't discovered them, I thought I would share.
Happy New Year!
Fish
Over the years I have spent many, MANY hours conjuring up cost effective DIY solutions ... and like most DIY solutions they all fundamentally failed in at least one (and generally more) of the important four categories:
1) Safety
2) Cost
3) Reliability
4) Efficiency
Recently I have been working on a project that really isn't suited for a Wall-Wart and needs less than 75mA @ 5V .... the temptation to use a voltage divider + capacitor arrangement was strong! But before I wandered too far down the path of dangerous, unreliable and inefficient heaters, I checked ebay ... and guess what?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-AC-D...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Yep, for ~$1.40 each my problem would appear to be solved, and it appears (once they arrive and I can determine the spacing) I will be able to design my DIY project's PCB so that this power supply can simply be mounted (like a daughter-board) via 4 header pins!
I am sure everyone reading this has known about these little modules for years and that I am the last to find out about them, but in the event there is anyone else out there who hasn't discovered them, I thought I would share.
Happy New Year!
Fish