Best voltage regulator for batter driven applications ... DC-DC or \'DCM\' ?...

[Eli Sidwell Iii]

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

 

[server]

On Fri, 9 Oct 2020 09:48:36 -0700 (PDT), Eli Sidwell Iii
<e_sidwelliii@mail.harpercollege.edu> wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

I usually start with a Digikey and Mouser search, because they cover
multiple manufacturers. Their search mechanisms are admittedly clumsy,
especially for power ICs.

Using the selection aids at Analog Devices, TI, Onsemi, and maybe ST
will usually suggest something useful.

By the time 3 volts worth of battery has dropped below about half
that, there\'s not a lot of energy left to squeeze out.

Wanting a DIP package will confine the selection to klunky old parts.



--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

Science teaches us to doubt.

Claude Bernard

 

[Tabby]

On Friday, 9 October 2020 17:48:45 UTC+1, Eli Sidwell Iii wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

If you\'re looking to run on sub-1v, back in the 90s I did one of these, a discrete circuit with germanium trannies. Memory fuzzy, think it was 0.25v it would run on, a fairly basic germanium osc. Can\'t even remember how it got from there to the several volts needed, probably an af laminated transformer.

People have built oscs to go down to just 5mV!
http://www.dicks-website.eu/fetosc/enindex.htm


NT

 

[Martin Brown]

On 09/10/2020 17:57, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On Fri, 9 Oct 2020 09:48:36 -0700 (PDT), Eli Sidwell Iii
e_sidwelliii@mail.harpercollege.edu> wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

I usually start with a Digikey and Mouser search, because they cover
multiple manufacturers. Their search mechanisms are admittedly clumsy,
especially for power ICs.

Using the selection aids at Analog Devices, TI, Onsemi, and maybe ST
will usually suggest something useful.

By the time 3 volts worth of battery has dropped below about half
that, there\'s not a lot of energy left to squeeze out.

Batteries have a tendency to leak if pushed that far since the stronger
cell will be forcing current through the weaker one. If you are going to
run a cell into the ground it is better to just have the one.

Even in normal use I find some previously reputable brands leak like
hell these days. Panasonic and Everyready are my favourites now.


--
Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[bitrex]

On 10/9/2020 12:57 PM, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On Fri, 9 Oct 2020 09:48:36 -0700 (PDT), Eli Sidwell Iii
e_sidwelliii@mail.harpercollege.edu> wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

I usually start with a Digikey and Mouser search, because they cover
multiple manufacturers. Their search mechanisms are admittedly clumsy,
especially for power ICs.

Using the selection aids at Analog Devices, TI, Onsemi, and maybe ST
will usually suggest something useful.

By the time 3 volts worth of battery has dropped below about half
that, there\'s not a lot of energy left to squeeze out.

Wanting a DIP package will confine the selection to klunky old parts.

The LTC3106 synchronous buck/boost starts up down to 800mV, at $3.50 in
small quantities, for low power applications where the output has to be
higher or lower than the input it\'s hard to beat given all the features
it offers.

<https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Analog-Devices/LTC3106EUDCPBF?qs=oahfZPh6IAIk%252BAwncX447A%3D%3D>

Rolling your own supply for very low-voltage operation is an engineering
rat-hole, the integrated solutions do it way better, it\'s worth spending
a couple extra bucks on to save many hours of aggravation unless you\'re
building huge quantity IMO

 

[Rich S]

On Friday, October 9, 2020 at 4:48:45 PM UTC, Eli Sidwell Iii wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

https://aldinc.com/ald_ehmodules.php

--
***
This e-mail message is intended only for the designated recipient(s)
named above. The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments
may be confidential or legally privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient, you may not review, retain, copy, redistribute or use this
e-mail or any attachment for any purpose, or disclose all or any part of
its contents. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately
notify the sender by reply e-mail and permanently delete this e-mail and
any attachments from your computer system.
***

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 10/10/20 3:48 am, Eli Sidwell Iii wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

TI\'s parametric selector is pretty good:

<https://www.ti.com/power-management/non-isolated-dc-dc-switching-regulators/step-up-boost/products.html#p238max=1.8;40&p238min=0;0.6>

e.g. TPS61201 provides 3.3V out from as little as 0.3V in; TPS61023
provides up to 5.5V out at up to 3A and works from as little as 0.5V in.

I\'m not familiar with those chips; I just know the selector from
recently choosing a single-cell Li-Ion buck boost charge controlles with
5.1V out for USB OTG. There are some magic chips out there...

Clifford Heath.

 

[Steve Wilson]

Clifford Heath <no.spam@please.net> wrote:

On 10/10/20 3:48 am, Eli Sidwell Iii wrote:
I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a
constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the
supply be solar, battery, or mechanical. I was looking at developing
a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very
efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that
work for me. I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it
does not seem to be the right choice. The package is probably what
would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output
voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The
specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what
I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for
3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to
select a chip like this would be helpful.

TI\'s parametric selector is pretty good:

https://www.ti.com/power-management/non-isolated-dc-dc-switching-regul
ators/step-up-boost/products.html#p238max=1.8;40&p238min=0;0.6

e.g. TPS61201 provides 3.3V out from as little as 0.3V in; TPS61023
provides up to 5.5V out at up to 3A and works from as little as 0.5V
in.

I\'m not familiar with those chips; I just know the selector from
recently choosing a single-cell Li-Ion buck boost charge controlles
with 5.1V out for USB OTG. There are some magic chips out there...

Clifford Heath.

As JL said, there\'s not much energy left in a battery at 0.3V. These
chips are probably for thermocouples or other low voltage sources.

---------------------------------
Science teaches us to trust. - sw

 

[Flyguy]

On Friday, October 9, 2020 at 9:48:45 AM UTC-7, Eli Sidwell Iii wrote:

I want to develop some battery driven applications that require a constant voltage but may not have a constant supply. Whether the supply be solar, battery, or mechanical.
I was looking at developing a circuit like a \'Jewel Thief\' that would buck or boost and be very efficient. Then I started looking at finding a chip to do all that work for me.
I found the following chip \'MC34063A\', but as I read it does not seem to be the right choice.
The package is probably what would work best: 8 pin DIP.
From reading on \'Joule Thief\' designs they can bump up the output voltage when the source voltage drops to as little as 0.6v. The specs on chips I am finding don\'t see to go that low.
I found some information on DC -to- DC converters and wonder if what I am looking for is a \'DCM\' chip ?

The source will most likely be a pair of 1.5v batteries in series for 3v. for starters

If someone can provide a link to a chip or even a tutorial on how to select a chip like this would be helpful.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank You.

Here is one series of buck-boost converters from ADI:
https://www.analog.com/en/parametricsearch/11531#/
The first one looks good:
https://www.analog.com/en/products/lt8392.html#product-evaluationkit

ADI isn\'t the only one, so you will have to do your own search.