Maker Pro

Voltage Regulating

Best Approach?

  • Step up to 5V

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .

sonikin

Sep 8, 2011
1
Joined
Sep 8, 2011
Messages
1
In a data acquisition project I am currently working on, I have several IR sensors that require a strict 5V input (1.5mA supply current). The problem is that my DAQ recorder supplies ~5V (I measure around 4.8V usually) of unregulated voltage, which causes these sensitive sensors to go haywire.

What would be a more appropriate/simple/cheap/small packaging approach:

A) step up the 4.8V to a regulated 5V?
B) step down my 13V battery (which powers the rest of the systems) to a regulated 5V?
C) Other

In the case of B, would I need to protect my sensors from the powerful battery since they have such a small supply current?

Thanks.
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
7,682
For 1.5 ma a linear regulator on the 13V battery is fine. You do not need any additional protection, the sensor will draw only what it needs as long as the input voltage is correct. A 78L05 should work fine and it come in the TO92 package.

Bob
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
Step down is always preferable to step up. For such small currents (presuming there are no other issues) a linear regulator is ideal.

I concur.
 
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